Summary of JOSÉ JOAQUÍN DE OLMEDO

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José Joaquín de Olmedo was a Spanish author and poet who was born in the middle of the 11th century. He is best known for his speech "Discurso sobre la abolición de las mitas en las cortes de Cadiz," in which he argued against the caste system. Olmedo is also famous for his poem "Canto a Bolívar," which celebrates the Venezuelan independence leader.

• 00:00:00 José Joaquín de Olmedo, one of the great characters of Ecuadorian literature and also of political and social life, was born in Guayaquil on March 20, 1780. He was a poet, lawyer, and politician who played an important role in Ecuador's history throughout the colonial, independence, and republic periods. Today, his importance lies in the fact that he is one of the few Ecuadorian illustrious names known to have participated in three periods of Ecuadorian history: in the colony, during the independence struggle, and during the republic. In the first period, he distinguished himself as a great orator at the Spanish Crown's cortes in Cádiz in order to achieve the abolition of the slave metas. However, with the Spanish army's defeat in the Iberian Peninsula and Fernando VII's return to the throne, the cortes dissolved and Olmedo and others were pursued by the authorities. He managed to escape and lived in exile for a short time during the second period, which had significant influence on Ecuadorian history. In the independence period, he returned to Guayaquil and began to organize the emancipatory movement there together with other patriots. The Guayaquil Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on October 9
• 00:05:00 This video discusses José Joaquín de Olmedo, an early figure in Ecuador's independence movement. Olmedo was born in colonial Venezuela, and moved to Ecuador in the early 1800s. He served as the country's first minister of the interior, and played a significant role in the 1845 Revolution, which established Ecuador as a self-governing republic. Olmedo's home, La Casa de Olmedo, is a National Heritage Site and museum. The video provides a tour of the house, and discusses some of Olmedo's famous poems and writings.
• 00:10:00 José Joaquín de Olmedo is considered one of Ecuador's most important poets, political leaders, and patriots. He was born in this house in 1830, and his writings reflect his upbringing here and his experiences as a patriot, political leader, and father. He wrote the song "Bolívar" in 1837, which was written from this house. Olmedo is also famous for his poem "Junín," which was written from this house in 1881. This video introduces visitors to the house and the poet's life and work.
• 00:15:00 José Joaquín de Olmedo, a Spanish author born in the middle of the 11th century, wrote a speech in favor of abolishing the caste system in 1812. This speech, called "Discurso sobre la abolición de las mitas en las cortes de Cadiz," is important for understanding the activity of this week's assignment. In this speech, Olmedo argues that the system of caste is based on falsehood and that it is unjust to exploit those who are born into a lower caste. His three questions for this week's assignment are: 1. Read the biography of José Joaquín de Olmedo and sketch a portrait of the author. 2. Choose two stanzas from the speech and write a thesis about the author's argument. 3. Choose a verse from the poem "Canto a Bolívar" and translate it into English. What does the author mean by the word "victory"?