Panama Canal Research Paper

The Geography of Panama and the Panama Canal The Panama Canal is one of the greatest works of engineering and modern achievements of mankind. An all-water passage through the continental divide of the Panama region had been suggested since early Spanish colonial times of the 16th century. Today a canal that was cut through the Isthmus of Panama is a reality. It's presence has greatly affected Panama in many ways, politically, economically, and socially.

For centuries, the idea of how to access the West Indies puzzled many sailors from across the globe. During colonial times, Europeans coveted the spices and goods found in Asian countries, but the inability of their sponsored expeditions to discover a time-saving western passageway hindered their interaction with this region of the world. As time progressed, nations began to find ways to trade with Asia, but the routes taken were long, expensive, and hazardous. According to an article found in the publication, Civil Engineering, “… the only way for a ship to travel between the oceans was via the Strait of Magellan, at the southern tip of South America, a dangerous and time-consuming route.” However, in nineteen fourteen, their struggles finally ended. At last, the completion of the Panama Canal provided a shorter sea route between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean for trading countries all over the world. This occasion revolutionized sea travel and was consequently a widely documented and publicized event. Countless images and articles were created throughout the early twentieth century, which magnified the importance of this project. This collection of primary sources captures the significance of the Panama Canal for the American people and the international community at that time. The synchronic analysis of such documents will foster a greater appreciation for the Panama Canal and the influence it has had on civilization since its inception.

The Erie Canal was set in the state of New York which would be built to connect Albany and Buffalo. The concept of the Erie Canal began fifty years before actually starting construction in 1817. However, completion of the Erie Canal did not end until 1825 which resulted in a water route 364-miles long that connected the Hudson River in Albany and the Great lakes in Buffalo. Industrialization was sped up by the Erie Canal decades after it was completed because it improved transportation, trade, commerce and settlement in the United States.

The United States began as an isolated country, only focusing on the matters going on within the nation. Overseas expansion, military strength, and the practice of Social Darwinism later became an interest to the nation’s development. Because there was a want for power, wealth and missionary zeal, the United States became an imperialistic country. As a result the construction of the Panama Canal became an important project to begin. Despite all the difficulties it faced during the process, the Panama Canal was completed and gave the nation great power.

Many colonias do not even have sewage systems, but instead they rely on septic tanks which if they burst or overflow if not installed properly, in turn could cost thousands of dollars to fix. These people live in fear everyday knowing their families aren’t safe in their own homes and are more accessible to contracting deadly virus or diseases due to unsanitary housing. Their homes are poorly constructed making it a hazard to be living in a colonia, on top of that they lack proper electrical installation. Their homes are made with water material they can afford, often not being in great condition. The roads they have are often caliche and they do not have the proper drainage system so when there is heavy rain water gets collected causing flooding. On top of all this, the water is not safe to drink or use for cooking, so many people are forced to buy water by the gallon or use wells that might be contaminated. These are no conditions a human should be living in especially when our tax dollar should be going to improve neighborhood like these, instead it the government uses it for what they think is more important. The whole way of living for the colonias is problem that needs to be

The fulcrum of the Erie Canal: Lockport, NY, whose towering 50-ft double-locks, dubbed the Flight of Five, acted as the lynchpin connecting the east and west set as the stairway to the Modern American Empire. The Canal’s (and the United States) potential waited for Lockport to finish the construction of the towering Flights, and the dangerous Deep Cut through the Niagara Escarpment to west of Lockport.

Honduras is a vibrant country, offering crystalline blue waters, breathtaking jungles, and eye opening mountains. The Republic of Honduras is located in the northern part of the Central America. Honduras was once part of Spain’s great empire. The country triumphed to the end and became an independent nation in 1823. Honduras is a country with rich historical backgrounds. The country of Honduras is the second-largest country in Central America. Even though the Republic of Honduras is facing financial hardships, the country, however, is very culturally driven, making this country a hidden diamond for many. In this research paper I plan to focus on the history, geography, culture and the economical

In December 19989, thousands of American troops invaded Panama with the goals of extraditing the dictator, General Manuel Noriega, to the United States and reinstating true democracy within the nation after being indicted by two federal grand juries in Florida, after months of economic sanctions and covert tactics meant to force him out of power. In the years since there has been a question as to the validity of the reasoning behind the interference. Shortly after the invasion, President Bush gave his reasons and goals saying “the goals of the United States have been to safeguard the lives of Americans, to defend democracy in Panama, [and] to combat drug trafficking…” for the operation but further investigation contradicts what the people were

It is interesting to see how Americans saw themselves and their capitalistic system during the early 1900s. The American quest to civilize the world with plans like the Panama Canal was referred to as a gift, a selfless act from the United States for the betterment of mankind (Herring 2008, 337). I am certain that the Panama Canal created many opportunities for the people in Central America, but was it in fact a sign of American kindness or was that canal done because it increased trade, income, and improved security in the United States? Furthermore, how wrong was Norman Angell? His theory did not hold for more than four years. Mankind is incapable of achieving peace and will continue to live in a constant state of struggle. Additionally, the early 1900s had a resemblance to the Cold War that started four decades later. The Russians and the British encircled Germany and contained her, and yet Stalin was surprise when the allies did the same to him after WWII?

Before the 1900s, in order to get from the Atlantic ocean to the pacific ocean, you had to go around South America then all the way up again to reach your destination. Everyone was getting tired of going the long way, until a French company that was lead by Ferdinand de Lesseps came up with the idea of making a canal through Panama. However, the French ended failing because of the obstacles that came their way. Later on the U.S. wanted to continue building the canal, plus they had more to gain from this canal. They got the permission to build a canal through Panama and began working. Of course many obstacles were faced, but finally on August 15, 1914, the canal was completed. Everyone was saying that the Panama Canal would change the face of

If the idea of relaxing on sand beaches that are as white and soft as sugar while listening to the gentle waves lapping against shore and watching palms sway overhead – you’ll love spending time in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

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

In order to get to the Pacific Ocean from the east coast of the United States you must either, go around Canada, go around South America, or go all the way around the world. These were the only ways to get to the Pacific from the Atlantic Ocean until 1914. The most common way the American navy would get there was around South America. In many instances when there was problems on the west or east coast that needed naval intervention it took a significant amount of time for the navy to reinforce them. This could end up being a serious problem for the United States if there was any large scale problem on the west or east coast that involved the navy, it could take a detrimental amount of time for the reinforcements to arrive. They needed a way to connect the two seas so that it could help them to reduce the time necessary to get from one coast to another and so that other ships could get access to both seas without much trouble. The creation of the Panama Canal was the most efficient and effective way to connect the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

In 1880, the French were the first group of people who tried to build Panama Canal, with no such luck, Within 9 years, hardly and progress had been made, and with 20,000 dead, it seemed like a lost cause, and all hope was lost for the French. Though this was a major setback for the French, this was an opportunity for the Americans, and mainly Theodore Roosevelt. Teddy had also thought that the Canal would be an incredible project to undertake, with many great advantages for the United States. IN 1902, the government agreed with the idea, and gave permission for excavation to start. But before they could even start digging, they needed to buy the land off of Panama, who was then controlled by Columbia. Finally after a long debate between American

The reason for the United States building the canal, was to prepare to go to war with Spain. The USS was ordered to leave California to head towards Cuba, but they realized that this trip would take 60 days and they would have to stop in South America numerous times for coal, before they would reach Cuba. After that, the U.S. knew that there had to be a route to take so they built the Panama Canal. Originally, the French started the Panama Canal in 1881, but they went bankrupt, so the United States agreed to pay for the costs and take up the construction. Columbia denied the United States the right to take over, which caused a revolt with the Panamanians. The Panamanians received their independence, which granted