Manuel Belgrano

Hello! My name is Manuel Belgrano. I was born on June 3rd, 1770, in a busy city called Buenos Aires. As a boy, I loved to read and learn about the world. My family saw how much I enjoyed my studies, so when I was a teenager, they sent me on a long boat trip all the way to Spain to go to university in 1786. I studied hard and became a lawyer, but I was also fascinated by ideas about how to help people live better lives.

When I returned home to Buenos Aires in 1794, I brought back many new ideas. I saw that my homeland had so much potential, and I wanted to help everyone succeed. I believed that education was the key, so I worked to open new schools for both boys and girls, which was very unusual at the time! I also wanted to help farmers and merchants. But the King of Spain made all the rules, and many of us felt it was time for us to govern ourselves. In 1810, I joined a group of leaders in what is called the May Revolution, taking the first big step toward freedom.

Even though I was a lawyer and not a soldier, I was asked to lead an army to fight for our independence. It was a scary but important job. I realized our soldiers needed a symbol to unite them, something that was truly our own. So, on February 27th, 1812, while near the city of Rosario, I designed a flag with two beautiful colors: white and light blue, like the sky. That flag became the flag of Argentina! I led my soldiers in important battles, like the Battle of Tucumán in 1812 and the Battle of Salta in 1813. We won those fights, which were huge victories that helped secure our path to independence.

I spent my whole life working for the freedom and future of my homeland. After many years of service as a general, diplomat, and leader, my work was done. I lived to be 50 years old and passed away in my beloved Buenos Aires on June 20th, 1820. Today, people in Argentina remember me as one of the founding fathers of the country. They fly the flag I created with pride, and every year on the day I passed, they celebrate Flag Day to honor the symbol that brings them all together.