Francisco de Miranda

Hello, my name is Francisco de Miranda. I was born a long, long time ago in the year 1750. My home was a beautiful place called Caracas, in Venezuela. Even when I was a little boy, I had a very big dream. I dreamed that my home, and all the other countries in South America, would one day be free. I wanted everyone to be able to make their own choices and build their own happy homes. This big dream was my most important idea, and I thought about it all the time.

To make my big dream come true, I knew I had to learn many new things. So, I decided to travel all around the world. I went on big ships and saw many different places. Around the year 1783, I visited America and saw how it had just become a free country. I also traveled to many countries in Europe to talk to people and share my dream. During my travels, I created a special flag for my home. It had three beautiful colors: bright yellow, deep blue, and warm red. This flag was a picture of my dream for a new, free country.

After many years of learning, I returned to my home in the year 1811. It was time to help my dream begin. The work was very hard, but my idea was strong. My dream inspired other brave people, like my friend Simón Bolívar, to keep working for freedom. I lived to be 66 years old. Today, people remember me as 'The Precursor.' That is a special name for someone who is the very first to start something important. My big dream for a free South America helped light the way for others to follow.