Building the Panama Canal

Known as one of the greatest engineering feats in all of history, the Panama Canal is an essential asset for international trade and travel today, uniting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans across the Central American Isthmus in Panama, Colombia. Its construction required the perseverance, innovation, time and money of at first, France and of second, America. Construction began with Frenchman, Ferdinand de Lesseps at the helm of the project in the early 1880’s; however, dreams of a Central American canal were had as early as the 1500’s with the Spanish and Christopher Columbus. His plan was to dig a sea level canal, similar to a successful one he had made previously. But after nearly 8 years of futile labor, and lack of progress, Lesseps gave up the project, leaving the canal unfinished. With Lesseps’ company insolvent, France created the New Panama Canal Company to sell the rights and equipment to finish the task to any takers. A taker did come forth: Soon after, 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt assumed power. Years after, when negotiation and construction was done, Roosevelt successfully completed the Panama Canal. In triumph he said, “The canal was by far the most important action I took in foreign affairs during the time I was President. When nobody could or would exercise efficient authority, I exercised it.”

There were several reasons why Lesseps’ plan did not work. First, he lacked the tenacity and patience required for the project to come to completion. The Canal existed on a stubborn terrain, and progress seemed like taking 2 steps forward and 1 step back. Second, was the season; Lesseps saw the work sight during the dry-season, and didn’t heed the warnings of the natives, about how the land was un...

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Works Cited

Conniff, Michael L. "Panama Canal." Encyclopedia of Latin American History and Culture. Ed. Jay Kinsbruner and Erick D. Langer. 2nd ed. Vol. 5. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2008. 29-32. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 26 Jan. 2012.

Leonard, Thomas M. "World War II." Encyclopedia of Latin American History and Culture. Ed. Jay Kinsbruner and Erick D. Langer. 2nd ed. Vol. 6. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2008. 466-469. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 29 Jan. 2012.

PBS. “Theodore Roosevelt and the Panama Canal.” PBS.org. Ed. Spencer Gentry. WGBH Educational Foundation, 2010. Web. 29 Jan. 2012.

Watson, Stephanie. "Building the Panama Canal." Science and Its Times. Ed. Neil Schlager and Josh Lauer. Vol. 6: 1900 to 1949. Detroit: Gale, 2000. 535-538. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 26 Jan. 2012.