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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  repeatedly ­
  repulsing  the  warlike  Indians,  secured ­
  a  foothold  at  Cartagena,  which  place  he
proceeded  to  fortify.  Others  with  warrants
from  the  King  of  Spain  also  entered  the  territory, ­
  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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