Founded by the Spanish in 1567, Caracas is the capital of Venezuela, located in the northern part of the country near the Caribbean coast. In 1811, Venezuela declared its independence from Spain, but the revolution soon met difficulties. Less than a year later, Caracas was destroyed by an earthquake, hampering efforts by the patriots and prompting authorities to portray the disaster as divine punishment for those who rebelled against Spain. When were the patriots able to secure independence? Discuss