Essay on Panama Canal Company

Submitted By Dhdvrbehsc

Words: 478

Pages: 2

Open Document

In 1878 Ferdinand de Lesseps, the French engineer who built the Suez Canal, began to dig a canal across the Isthmus of Panama, which was then part of Colombia. Tropical disease and engineering problems halted construction on the canal, but a French business (the New Panama Canal Company) still held the rights to the project. Roosevelt agreed to pay $40 million for the rights, and he began to negotiate with Colombia for control of the land. He offered $10 million for a fifty-mile strip across the isthmus. Colombia refused.
"We were dealing with a government of irresponsible bandits," Roosevelt stormed. "I was prepared to . . . at once occupy the Isthmus anyhow, and proceed to dig the canal. But I deemed it likely that there would be a revolution in Panama soon."
Teddy was right. The chief engineer of the New Panama Canal Company organized a local revolt. Roosevelt immediately sent the battleship Nashville and a detachment of marines to Panama to support the new government. The rebels gladly accepted Roosevelt's $10 million offer, and they gave the United States complete control of a ten-mile wide canal zone.
Biographical info about
Osmund Osmundsen, a
Norwegian immigrant who worked as a ship rigger during the building of the canal. Includes historical photos

Roosevelt ordered army engineers to start digging. Thousands of workers sweated in the malarial heat. They tore up jungles and cut down mountains. Insects thrived in muddy, stagnant pools. "Mosquitoes get so thick you get a mouthful with every breath," a worker complained. The mosquitoes also carried yellow fever, and many fell victim to the deadly disease before Dr. William Gorgas found a way to stop it.

Steam shovels digging the Panama Canal

Some Americans did not approve of Roosevelt's behavior. "There was much accusation about my having acted in an 'unconstitutional' manner," Teddy shrugged. "I took the isthmus, started the canal, and then left

Panama Canal Essay

The Panama Canal has been called the big ditch, the bridge between two continents, and the greatest shortcut in the world. When it was finally finished in 1914, the 51-mile waterway cut off over 7,900 miles of the distance between New York and San Francisco, and changed the face of the industrialized world ("Panama Canal"). This Canal is not the longest, the widest, the deepest, or the oldest canal in the world, but it is the only canal to connect two oceans, and still today is the greatest man-made…

Words 1653 - Pages 7

Panama Canal Research Paper

problems excavating the canal and dealing with malaria that caused thousands of deaths, the company suffered a financial set-back and was forced to liquidate in 1889. A second French company took over building the canal in 1894, but was also unable to finish building it. In 1902, the U.S. agreed to purchase the canal from the French, but it was not until 1904, after the U.S. had paid and signed an agreement with the Panamanians, that the U.S. officially started building the canal. It took 10 years…

Words 1163 - Pages 5

Panama Canal Rough Draft

The Panama Canal Rough Draft The Panama Canal is a feat of engineering and truly symbolizes a crucial moment in history, yet the sacrifices made for this accomplishment were dire. Due to the American Civil War, engineering advanced rapidly and producers sought to create new techniques to help their respective side in the war. With this advancement came progress in all aspects of engineering, not just militarism. Showcasing innovation and sacrifice, the Panama Canal stands as a testament to the evolution…

Words 896 - Pages 4

Transcontinental Railroad Research Paper

construction were awarded to two main companies, the Central Pacific Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad. The Central Pacific, led by a group of investors including Leland Stanford, Collis Huntington, and Charles Crocker, was responsible for building the railroad from Sacramento, California to the east. The Union Pacific, led by Thomas Durant and Grenville Dodge, was tasked with constructing the railroad from Omaha, Nebraska to the west. These companies were awarded the contracts based on their…

Words 1627 - Pages 7

Comparing The Panama Canal And The Great Wall And China

The Vital Construction Project How does the Panama Canal and the Great Wall and China share different yet similar processes through their construction projects? The projects I have shared are two that have impacted individuals in different scenarios. Ever since they were built, the Panama Canal and the Great Wall of China have been associated with several components that ended up helping the countries that use it. First, the Panama Canal was initiated as an easier source of transportation so that…

Words 938 - Pages 4

Spanish Explorer Rodrigo De Bastidas: Reaching The Isthmus Of Panama

was the first European to reach the Isthmus of Panama in 1501. The Spanish King Charles I saw in Panama a country filled with possibilities and resources for years to come. At that early stage, Panama soon became a vital part of world commerce with the creation of the Royal Road. Through this important path, trading became easier and much more efficient as they were able to cross from one ocean to the other at a much faster pace. To this day, Panama is still a vital country for business and economical…

Words 1435 - Pages 6

Nicaragua Canal Research Paper

begin on the Nicaragua canal. The canal would extend 180 miles across Nicaragua connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The canal project is expected to be completed by 2019 and create a new shipping route through Nicaragua. After it is constructed,over five thousand ships are estimated to pass the canal each year. However, this isn’t the first time a canal through Nicaragua has been presented. In the 1500s, the Spanish were the first to attempt the idea of building a canal through Nicaragua, but…

Words 1343 - Pages 6

Final essay

geography. As victim of the Northern American domination, the Central America continent is mostly unknown for the rest World. Nevertheless, Central America consists of seven nations, Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. These countries, defined as “Third World Countries”, are seriously affected by globalization and by the ambition of the United States to have control over everyone else. As John Perkins says, “while for us (United States’ corporations) it is about…

Words 2386 - Pages 10

Panama Canal and Canal Details Essay

Many Uses The Panama Canal was a project started by the French in 1881, and because of the failure that they endured while building the canal, the company went bankrupt and the US would agree to take up the construction. After Colombia denied the U.S the right to take it over, the Panamanian people decided to revolt against the Colombians, and the U.S supported them. In this revolt, the Panamanians would receive their independence. From then on, the U.S had control over the Panamanian land to be…

Words 370 - Pages 2

Chapter 4 Thesis Worksheet 1 Essay examples

Roosevelt, the most important was the construction of the Panama Canal because it served as a potent example of the United States’ newfound role in the world. Key terms to support claim/thesis statement: -Hay-Pauncefote Treaty -Big Stick Policy -Roosevelt Corollary -Dollar Diplomacy -Great White Fleet -Yellow Fever Key events that support claim/thesis statement: -Building of Roosevelt Corollary -Taft's Dollar Diplomacy -America's influence in Panama -Teddy's Big Stick Policy Key figures that support…

Words 1049 - Pages 5