The History of Venezuela


Book Description

An indispensable resource for readers interested in Venezuelan history, this book analyzes Venezuela's economic crisis through the context of its political and social history. For decades, the economy of Venezuela has depended on petroleum. As a consequence of a reduction in the price of oil, Venezuela recently experienced an economic downturn resulting in rampant social spending, administrative corruption, and external economic forces that collectively led credit-rating agencies to declare in November 2017 that Venezuela was in default on its debt payments. How did this Latin American nation come to this point? The History of Venezuela explores Venezuela's history from its earliest times to the present day, demonstrating both the richness of Venezuela and its people and the complexity of its political, social, and economic problems. As with all titles in The Greenwood Histories of the Modern Nations series, this chronological narrative examines political, economic, cultural, philosophical, and religious continuities in Venezuela's long and rich history, providing readers with a concise yet up-to-date study of the nation. The volume highlights the country's wide variety of cultures, languages, political ideologies, and historical figures and landmarks through maps, photographs, biographies, a timeline, and a bibliographical essay with suggestions for further reading.




The United States and Venezuela during the First World War


Book Description

This book details the diplomatic relations between the United States and Venezuela during a pivotal time in world history. Through the utilization of archival materials and newspaper accounts, the author highlights the words of the major participants to demonstrate how the two nations worked together – sometimes hand-in-hand, sometimes face-to-face – to prevent the European War from spreading to the Western Hemisphere. Despite several efforts to develop hemispheric unity during the War, Venezuelan leaders perceived the policy of neutrality to be in the best interest of the country's national sovereignty. This book explores the personalities of the chief executives and selected diplomats to illustrate how both personnel and personalities molded their nation’s foreign relations. In the end, while perceived as two very different individuals who pursued different paths during the global conflict, the leadership styles of President Woodrow Wilson and General Juan Vicente Gómez were more alike than they realized. The overall cordial relations between the two nations during the period under review helped establish the foundation for the petroleum bonanza that United States companies would enjoy in the following years.




Simón Bolívar's Quest for Glory


Book Description

Earning glory on the fields of battle, Simón Bolívar (1783–1830) was one of the most influential and enigmatic figures of Latin American history. Most North Americans know little of "the Liberator" who freed South America from Spanish rule from 1810 to 1826. Richard W. Slatta and Jane Lucas De Grummond bring forth the entire life and legacy of Simón Bolívar, with special attention to the ups and the downs of his military career in Bolívar's Quest for Glory. Bolívar's life contained all the makings of an epic war hero: repeated comebacks from defeat, flashes of military genius, tremendous mood swings, dogged persistence, a near-manic quest for glory, and fall from political grace. He exhibited both military leadership and foolhardiness. Egomaniacal, he strived for military might and political power. The tragedy of his life and his political legacy remain hotly debated, but no one would deny this man's historical significance. Drawing from an immense corpus of writings left behind by Bolívar, his allies, and his enemies, the authors transport the reader back to the life and times of the Liberator, introducing lesser known people who fought on both sides of the conflict and showing how Bolívar did not win Spanish American independence all on his own. Voices of the past ring from this rich narrative—expressions of admiration for Bolívar's courage, leadership, and vision, as well as proclamations of the leader's failures and weaknesses. The first ever biography to suggest that Bolívar suffered from bipolar disorder, Bolívar's Quest for Glory treads new ground and shows how the conflicts he faced during the independence era set a political pattern followed by much of Latin America for the next century. Scholars and fans of military history, anyone interested in the development of modern Latin America, and readers of great biography will all welcome this book.




Historical Abstracts


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Catalog


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The History of Venezuela


Book Description

On his third voyage of discovery from Spain, Christopher Columbus sighted Venezuela. Spanish explorers observed native homes built on stilts at the water's edge and gave the land its name, which means little Venice. Venezuela became a Spanish colony for the next 300 years before the South American Independence Movement which liberated the country in 1821. After a brief period of unification with Colombia and Ecuador, Venezuela was then controlled by a succession of military dictators. Political strife and civil war followed. In the 1900s oil was discovered, military rule ensued, and Venezuela became the world's leading oil exporter, while the majority of the nation's people remained poor. In 1958, the country established a democratic government and has remained one since. Ideal for students and general readers, the History of Venezuela is part of Greenwood's Histories of Modern Nations series. With over thirty nation's histories in print, these books provide readers with a concise, up-to-date history of countries throughout the world. Reference features include a biographical section highlighting famous figures in Venezuelan history, a timeline of important historical events, a glossary of terms, and a bibliographical essay with suggestions for further reading.