The Panama Canal:
What type of problems might occur in building a 50 mile canal? Finance$ Hot sweltering weather Diseases (Malaria and Yellow Fever) The terrain (mountains, swamps) Organization/Management
History: Panama was a province of Columbia. French government just purchased a 5 year concession from Columbia to build a canal across Panama Money, illness, and mismanagement caused the project to flop and French sold to lease to US.
What were the benefits?
The Isthmus of Panama. What is an Isthmus?
The Panama Canal A canal would shorten the time and distance that ships would travel from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans, eliminating the long sea voyage around South America.
How the land deal was acquired Panama belonged to a larger country called Colombia. Roosevelt wanted the government of Colombia to sign a treaty allowing the United States to build a canal through Panama. The Colombians thought the treaty was unfair and refused to sign it.
continued Roosevelt was impatient and thought it would be easier to deal with the people of Panama. Not all Panamanians were happy being part of Colombia and many wanted independence. In 1903, Roosevelt quickly sided with the revolutionaries and sent two gunboats to Panama to lend support against Colombia.
continued The revolution lasted 3 days and Panama became an independent nation. 12 days later a treaty was signed between the US and Panama. Unfortunately for the Panamanians, the deal they signed was worse than the one given to the Colombians.
The Treaty Americans were given permission to build a canal. They were given an enormous territory in which to build the canal, called the Canal Zone. Panama was given less money than that promised to the Colombians and the US promised to protect Panama’s independence. How do you think the people of Panama felt?
Construction of the Canal Building the canal was a great engineering feat. Thousands of workers labored for 10 years to carve a path through dense jungle and over mountains. They created a human-made lake and built locks to raise and lower ships to different water levels.
Major Obstacles Disease The region was damp, tropical jungle, hot and swarming with mosquitoes that carried yellow fever and malaria. An army doctor, Colonel William Gorgas, went to Panama to fight and eventually eliminate yellow fever and reduce cases of malaria.
Working on the canal Punishing tropical sun. By noontime, temperatures would reach 100 degrees and sometimes 130 degrees. Air was hot and humid. The work site was a slippery, treacherous sea of mud. Constant harsh racket from trains, drills and steam shovels were earsplitting. The air was blackened by the coal smoke that powered from the locomotives and steam shovels.
Opening and Benefits The Panama Canal opened on August 15, The Ancon, a cargo ship, made the first trip. The canal reduced shipping costs, help extend American naval power, and guaranteed a strong American presence in Latin America. Is that good or bad?
Read “To Roosevelt” by Ruben Dario Answer the following questions: 1. What is the Poem about? 2. Is it Pro or Anti American? Why? 3. Is it Pro or Anti Imperialism? Why? 4. Is it Pro or Anti Roosevelt? Why?