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COLOMBIA 
Columbus on his fourth trip of discovery to 
the New World was the first European to 
sight Colombia. He sailed along the coast 
during September, 1502, but did not undertake 
to land. Alonso de Ojeda in 1508 obtained a 
patent from the Spanish crown and after re 
peatedly repulsing the warlike Indians, se 
cured a foothold at Cartagena, which place he 
proceeded to fortify. Others with warrants 
from the King of Spain also entered the terri 
tory, ultimately subjugating the Indians and 
establishing the capital at Bogota in 1538. 
The province was called New Granada and 
was governed by a Viceroy until 1810 when a 
revolutionary movement deposed him, and on 
December 17, 1819, the Republic of Colombia 
was born. Under the guidance of Simon 
Bolivar, Venezuela and Ecuador joined with 
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