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Roosevelt wanted the Panama Canal built... So he offered Columbia $10 million in cash, $250 thousand yearly in rent to allow the U.S. to build a canal through Panama.
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In 1903, a revolt took place. U.S. "gunboats" waited in the harbor to provide support to the rebels. U.S. marines landed in Colon to prevent hostile Comlumbian troops from reaching Panama City. Although Rossevelts "gunboat diplomacy" was critisized by many... On this day, the nation of Panama was born.
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The U.S. immediatly recognized the independent Republic of Panama, and three days later, on November 6, 1903, a Frenchman acting for Panama signed a treaty. This treaty gave the U.S. permanent use and control of a 10-mile-wide zone across the Isthmus of Panama. We offered $10 million plus $250 a year in rent to build the Canal. http://www.history.com/videos/deconstructing-history-panama-canal#deconstructing-history-panama-canal
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After the treaty was signed by a frenchman in 1903, about a year later in 1904, the U.S government began to build a canal across the Panama. President Rossevelt ureged the engineers to "make the dirt fly."
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Disease was the first great obstacle to building the canal across Panama. Most people thought the damp night air caused yellow fever and malaria. Cuban dorctor, Canos Jaun Kinlay, discovered that yellow fever was transmitted by a certain type of mosquito. English doctor, Ronald Ross, found that a different type of mosquito caused malaria.
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1906, William C. Gorgas nearly wiped out yellow fever and reduced malaria in Panama. Gorgas directed workers to clear brush and drain swamps where mosquitos live. Therefore; workers could get back to building the canal across Panama.
