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Linking the Oceans
Roosevelt offered Columbia $10 million & $250,000 in rent to allow the U.S. to build in Panama. U.S. began to negatiate a treaty with Columbia. Columbians opposed this because it gave the U.S. control over a 6 mile stretch of territory. Both the press & public sensed a scandal. The battle over the Panama only lasted a few hours. -
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Panama Canal Timeline
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Revolt in Panama
U.S. gunboats waited at the harbor for support of the rebels. U.S. Marines landed in Colón to prevent hostile troops from Panama City. Roosevelt knew that Panamanians disliked Columbian rule. A payment of $10 million secured the canal zone. The revolution was engineered by a french corporation that hoped to connect the Atlantic & Pacific oceans. -
Panama Treaty signed
A Frenchman acting for Panama signed a treaty giving the U.S. permanent control of a 10 mile zone. The U.S. then recognized Panama's Independence. The U.S. then agreed to pay $10 million & $250,000 in rent. -
Building the Panama Canal
Panama Canal Video U.S. government began building a canl across Panama. Roosevelt urged workers to "Make dirt fly." 3 major tasks were involved in making the canal. Workers had to cut through mountains, dam a river, & erect giant rocks. To some workers it seemed the digging would never end. While engineers & supervisors came from the U.S. workers were West Indian or African descent. -
Struggles While Building
One of the most challenging jobs was digging the Gaillard Cut, a 9 mile stretch through the mountains. Thousands of men worked day and night in the tropical sun and rainstorms. One worker recalled "I load cement, I unload cement. I carry lumber until my shoulders peel." -
Fighting the Diseases
Malaria & Yellow Fever were widespread in Panama.WIlliam C. Gorgas, an American expert on tropical diseases wanted to take the problem.A major breakthrough came when a cuban named, Dr. Carlos Juan Finlay, discovered that certain kinds of mosquitos transmit Yellow Fever. Ronald Ross found that a different mosquito carried Malaria.By Gorgas's directions, workers cleared all the brush & drained the swamps to get rid of mosquitos. Gorgas had nearly wiped out Malaria & Yellow Fever. -
The Panama Canal Opens
Despite unexpected delays the canal finished 6 months early. After years of work the Atlantic and Pacific oceans were finally joined together. The Pandama Canal was finally open. On this day the first ship sailed down the Panama Canal. -
Summary & Revision
From June 19, 1902 - Aug. 15, 1914 the Panama Canal was being built. Workers had to dig all day to insure that the Panama Canal would be finished on time. Disease spread from man to man sometimes causing death. The building of The Panama Canal was tough work and took forever to finish but in the end it was kinda worth it. Men who worked day in and day out did a wonderful thing, because of those men today The Panama Canal makes shipping easier and travels for ships a lot easier. -
Work Cited
"American Experience: TV's Most-watched History Series." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2015.
"History of the Panama Canal - Timeline." Timeline News. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2015.
"How the Panama Canal Helped Make the U.S. a World Power." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2015.
"Marines at Panama." Marines at Panama. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2015.
N.p., n.d. Web.
N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Dec. 2015.
"Panama Declares Independence." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2015.
"Panama Rail Road Ma
