Venezuelan War of Independence

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/venezuelan-war-of-independence

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the duration of war?1810-1823
2. What is the geographic scope?Primarily the Captaincy General of Venezuela, with broader implications for South America
3. What happened in Venezuela in 1810 that started the fight for freedom?In 1810, Venezuelan leaders formed the Supreme Caracas Junta after Spain’s king was taken by Napoleon, starting the push for independence.
4. Why did the First Republic of Venezuela fall in 1812?The 1812 Caracas earthquake and a defeat at the Battle of La Victoria weakened the republic, letting Spanish forces take back control.

Criollo Elite: Descendants of Spanish settlers born in the Americas, who often held economic power but lacked political authority.
Peninsulares: Spaniards born in Spain who held the highest positions in the colonial administration.
Napoleonic Wars: A series of major conflicts pitting the French Empire against shifting coalitions of European powers, which destabilized Spain.
Royalist Uprising: A counter-revolutionary movement by those loyal to the Spanish Crown against independence forces.