XI 
VENEZUELA 
Venezuela was discovered by Columbus on 
his third voyage to America August r, 1498, 
at the time of his visit being the home of more 
than 150 different tribes of warlike Indians, 
who resisted to their limit the attempts made 
by Spain to conquer them and explore the 
country. In 1520, Cumana, on the coast of 
the Caribbean Sea, was founded and is the old 
est European settlement in this hemisphere. 
The Indians, however, kept up a continuous 
warfare against the invaders, being gradually 
pushed into the interior while the conquerors 
established themselves along the coast in towns 
fortified to resist invasion from the buc 
caneers who paid them many visits. 
An attempt at independence was made in 
1718, which was suppressed. Although quasi 
loyal to the Spanish crown, there were many 
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