Engineering the Panama Canal

Engineering the Panama Canal — page 3 — ISTHMUS OF PANAMA The Isthmus of Panama links North and South America It is about 50 miles 81 km across It is the narrowest strip of land between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean Why might the canal have been built there Are there other good places the canal could have been built PANAMA El Porvenir Portobello Colón CARIBBEAN SEA Alajuela Lake Chepo Paplama Canal Cañita Panama Canal Rio Chepo Bayano Gatun Bayano Lake La Chorrera PANAMA CITY san Miguel Playa Coronado Archipielago de las Perlas 50 miles 80 km Gulf of Panama

Engineering the Panama Canal — page 4 — had to sail around the southern tip of South America Yet a narrow strip of land separated the two oceans by just 50 miles 81 km This was the Isthmus of Panama Explorers and sailors had long dreamed of a water shortcut here This would make journeys much shorter The French were the first to attempt to build a canal across THE PANAMA RAILWAY Gold was discovered in California in the 1840s Thousands of people traveled there in search of riches Some made the long trip around the tip of South America by ship Others slowly crossed North America by wagon Some US businessmen decided to build a railway across Panama as a shortcut It was finished in 1855 Engineers planning the route found something important They noticed a gap in the ridge of tall mountains at a place called Culebra This would eventually provide a path for the Panama Canal Panama They began work in 1880 Their plan involved digging a canal at sea level The French struggled due to mistakes and a lack of funds Diseases killed many workers France stopped the project in 1889 7

Engineering the Panama Canal — page 5 — PANAMA CANAL TREATY In 1902 the United States bought the old French canal project for 40 million At the time Panama belonged to Colombia The United States needed a treaty with Colombia to begin building But Colombian officials thought the treaty was unfair They refused to sign it Some Panamanians were in favor of the canal treaty They wanted independence from Colombia They planned a rebellion President Theodore Roosevelt supported them He sent two US gunboats to Panama’s harbor They didn’t allow Colombian troops to land Colombian troops were unable to reach the rebellion to stop it Panama gained independence on November 3 1903 Days later the United States signed a treaty with the new Republic of Panama The United States paid Panama 10 million for the land It stretched 10 miles 16 km wide from coast to coast along the route where the canal would be Roosevelt believed in showing off US military strength to achieve the nation’s goals 8

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