Juan Pablo Duarte

Juan Pablo Duarte

Born on January 26, 1813 in Santo Domingo, Juan Pablo Duarte is considered one of the founding fathers of the Dominican Republic. In 1801, his parents left the Dominican Republic when Haitian troops, under the leadership of Toussaint L'Ouverture, took control of Santo Domingo. They fled to Puerto Rico and resided there until the Spanish regained control of part of the country in the War of Reconquista in 1809.

Duarte loved to learn and at a young age was enrolled in one of the best schools in the Dominican Republic. In 1828, at the age of 15, his parents sent him to New York so he could get a better education. During the next four years he would also study in London, France and Spain. He returned to the Dominican Republic in 1832 at the age of 20 at a time when the country was being controlled by the Haitian government. Duarte strongly