Santa Fe de Bogota was founded in 1538 by Spanish Conquistador Gonzalo Jimenez who battled the Bacata Indians from the area. The name was later shortened to just Bogota after Independence. The city grew slowly due to the Bogotans who thought they spoke the purest Spanish in the New World and had the most sophisticated culture. Thanks to Simon Bolivar, the city became one of the first to free itself from Spanish rule and made the capital of Gran Colombia. When that loose affiliation failed, it was named the capital of New Granada. The city has welled with growth since the mid part of the 20th Century as migrant workers flocked to the city in search of work. In 1991 a new Constitution officially made the city capital of Colombia. The turn of the millennium has seen a shift for Bogota toward one of Latin America’s powerhouses. The Trans Milenio rapid transit system has greatly decreased traffic and made getting around far easier. It is called Colombia’s first city and most national and international businesses have their main offices there. The coffee boom, although not grown in Bogota, lead to major exporters doing business there as well. The same can be said of the flower trade, which accounts for 55 percent of all US sales. With fewer and fewer problems involving rebel groups, tourists are quickly discovering this city that has long been off limits.