Juan Santamaría
Costa Rican national hero; drummer in the Second Battle of Rivas (1856) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Juan Santamaría?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
Juan Santamaría Rodríguez (August 29, 1831 – April 11, 1856) was a drummer in the Costa Rican army, officially recognized as the national hero of his country for his actions in the 1856 Second Battle of Rivas, in the Filibuster War. He died in the battle carrying a torch he used to light the enemy stronghold on fire, securing a victory for Costa Rica against American mercenary William Walker and his forces.[1] Thirty five years after his death, he began to be idolized and was used as a propaganda tool to inspire Costa Rican nationalism. A national holiday in Costa Rica, Juan Santamaría Day, is held annually on April 11 to commemorate his death.[2]
This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2011) |
Juan Santamaría | |
---|---|
Born | Juan Santamaría Rodríguez August 29, 1831 |
Died | April 11, 1856(1856-04-11) (aged 24) |
Cause of death | Gunshot wounds |
Nationality | Costa Rican |
Occupation | Drummer |
Known for | National hero of Costa Rica |
Military career | |
Allegiance | Costa Rica |
Battles/wars | |
On September 15, 1891, a huge bronze statue of the hero was erected in Juan Santamaría de Alajuela Park in his home town, Alajuela. Later, the main airport of Costa Rica, and the historical museum of Alajuela were named after him, and many literary, musical, and art works have been created in his honor. Along with commemorating his heroic acts, many historical studies have been done to investigate the true identity and actions of Juan Santamaría.