New Kingdom of Granada

New Kingdom of Granada (Nuevo Reino de Granada) is the name of the Spanish colony that now is Colombia. The first city founded in that area was Santa Marta. Santa Marta was founded on July 29, 1525 by the Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas.

Another city that was founded during the early years of the colonial expansion of Spain was Cartagena.

Eventually in the South American Wars of Independence (fought between 1810 and 1820) Simón Bolívar marched into Bogotá, the modern capital of Colombia and liberated both the city and the nation now called Colombia. Simón Bolívar also became the first President of Gran Colombia. Gran Colombia consisted of the modern countries of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama.

Bolívar's dream was to unite all of the nations of South America, the Caribbean, and Central America into what he wished to call the United States of Latin America. The brilliant liberator's dream was denied because of internal conflict.