Simon Bolivar led independence movements across South America that ended Spanish rule. He helped countries like Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru and Venezuela gain independence. Miguel Hidalgo was a priest in Mexico who rang his church bell to signal the beginning of the Mexican independence revolution. He is considered the father of Mexican independence, though he did not live to see Mexico become independent. Toussaint L'Ouverture led the Haitian Revolution that gained independence for Haiti from France. He was a former slave who was self-educated.