Simón Rodríguez (October 28, 1769, Caracas, Venezuela – February 28, 1854, Amotape, Peru),

known during his exile from Spanish America as Samuel Robinson, was a Venezuelan philosopher
and educator, notably Simón Bolívar's tutor and mentor.

His mother, Rosalia Rodríguez, was the daughter of an owner of farms and livestock; her father
was originally from the Canary Islands.

Career in Venezuela In May 1791, the Caracas Council (Cabildo) gave him a position as teacher in
the "Reading and Writing School for Children". In 1794, he presented his critical writing Reflection
on the flaws vitiating the Reading and Writing School for Children in Caracas and Means of
Achieving its Reform and a New Establishment to the council, which represented an original
approach to a modern school system.[citation needed] His role in the failed Gual and España
conspiracy against the Spanish crown in 1797 forced him to leave Venezuela.

Exile in Kingston, Jamaica he changed his name to Samuel Robinson, and after staying some years
in the United States he traveled to France (1801). There, in 1804, he met his former protégé,
Simón Bolivar; together they made a long journey across Europe. They witnessed the coronation
of Napoleon Bonaparte in Milan, as King of Italy and in Rome, witnessed how Bolívar took his
famous oath that he would liberate all of America from the Spanish Crown, and registered it for
history: "I swear before you; I swear on my parent’s God; I swear on them; I swear on my honor;
and I swear on my Motherland; that I won’t give rest to my arm, nor repose to my soul, until I have
broken the chains that oppress us by will of the Spanish power."

Between 1806 and 1823, Rodríguez lived in Italy, Germany, Prussia, Poland and Russia. He would
later say of this time: "I stayed in Europe for more than twenty years; I worked in an Industrial
Chemistry Laboratory [...] attended some secret socialist-oriented meetings [...] studied a little
literature; learned languages and directed a Reading and Writing School in a small Russian town".

Rodríguez returned to America in 1823, using his name "Simón Rodríguez" again. In Colombia he
established the first workshop-school in 1824. He was called to Peru by Simón Bolívar and became
"Director for Public Education, Physical and Mathematical Sciences and Arts" and "Director of
Mines, Agriculture and Public Roads" of Bolivia.

In 1826, Rodríguez established a second workshop-school, as part of a project for all Bolivia. But
Antonio José de Sucre, president of Bolivia since October 1826, did not have a good relationship
with him, and Rodríguez resigned the same year, working during the rest of his life as educator
and writer, living alternatively in different places of Peru, Chile and Ecuador. His work Sociedades
Americanas (American Societies) was divided in several issues and published in Arequipa (1828), in
Concepción (1834), Valparaíso (1838), and Lima (1842).
Last years and legacy Most of Rodríguez's written works remained in Guayaquil, Ecuador, but were
lost in the large city fire of 1896. Rodriguez is the face on the 50 Bolivar Fuerte bills.[citation
needed] He was also the face in the old 20,000 Bolívar bills (until 2007). One of the Bolivarian
Missions of Hugo Chávez, Mission Robinson, is named for him.

last years settled in Peru, appointed by Simón Bolívar, where he is appointed director of public
education. Establishes the concept of school-workshop, where basics were taught and instructed
the young in a trade. The project was successful in Colombia, but in Bolivia, bad relations with
Sucre did that Rodriguez resign and return to be a discrete master's school.

He settled in Ecuador to devote himself to teaching. His last years take place in Peru, where takes
place his death in Amotape, on February 28, 1854.

His remains were moved in 1925 to Peru, and in 1954 finally deposited in the national pantheon in
Caracas.

Simon Rodríguez. It fostered the idea of an education designed according to the realities of the
region, and not modeled in completely different countries. Also insisted that the student must
question everything until you get satisfactory response.

Having been master of a figure as Simón Bolívar gave him an aura of master par excellence, also
has given its name to educational institutions. Pre-university preparation program of the Central
University of Venezuela is called Samuel Robinson, who was the pseudonym used by Rodriguez
during his exile.