World History: The Panama Canal

The Panama Canal is an artificial transportation waterway, built during 1904-1914, that serves as a transport canal for international trade, recreational use and irrigation purposes. To this purpose, it reduces the long distance travel of cargo ships because it connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, thereby reducing their journeys by thousands of miles. The canal, a.k.a. “Big Ditch”, is regarded as the eighth man-made wonder of the world due to its size and the large volume of shipping vessels it can accommodate.



Early Attempts

The earliest known attempt to construct the canal was in 1534 when the King of Spain (Charles V) suggested that a route created through Panama would reduce the distances journeyed by ships that travel from Spain to Peru, and provide measures to give the Spanish military an edge over the Portuguese. During 1788-1793, a feasibility study of the canal was carried out by Alessandro Malaspina, who then proposed a plan for the construction. This was later followed by the “Darien Scheme”, an unsuccessful effort designed to create an overland trade route launched in 1698 by the Kingdom of Scotland. In 1855, the Panama Railroad was built, as well as a survey on the proposed route, which was carried out by William Kennish.

  • Charles V., King of Spain: He brought about the idea that waterways should cut through the Panama Canal in order to reduce the time taken for transatlantic voyage.

  • Darien Scheme (failed attempt): A collection of books and pamphlets that establish details of the attempt by Scotland to establish a trading colony at Darien.

  • William Kennish: His major contributions, how he discovered that the level of the Pacific and Atlantic were the same, and the cost of the tunnel.

  • From the Atlantic to the pacific: The purpose for constructing the panama canal, how it came to be, how the French first constructed it and how it was completed by the Americans.

  • Time Line: The time line history of the Panama Canal, past events, famous people that were involved and important dates.

  • Construction of the Panama Canal: The main purpose for constructing the canal, the Clayton-Bulwer treaty and Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty, and United States support of Panamanian independence.



French Construction

French attempts to construct the Panama Canal began under the command of Ferdinand de Lesseps in 1880. Excavation on the region the canal was to be constructed in was hastily done, without properly investigating sensitive regions for hydrology and geology information. Due in part to the lack of planning, there was an outbreak of epidemics which affected and killed a large number of employees such as top French directors and laborers that were assigned to that project. In the long run, the French construction of the canal was abandoned due to these challenges.

  • Panama Scandals: The panama scandal information, how it affected large numbers of individuals and institutions.

  • Pre-canal History: T he Colombian government gives the French permission to build a Panama Canal, and information on when it was dug.

  • Geographical issues: Information about the ecological issues of the Panama Canal, where it is located, and the consequences to the canal if the rain forest is destroyed.

  • French Attempts: French work began in 1889 with hindrances such as disease, construction problems and inadequate financing.

  • The construction of the canal by France: T he geographical society of Paris asked for international co-operation about the knowledge of the Central American area with the intention to build a canal.



United States Involvement

Construction on the Panama Canal commenced in 1904 by the United States, after the French equipment and excavations were bought for 40 million dollars by President Theodore Roosevelt. This was possible because at the time the United States expressed interest in building a canal across the Isthmus, the Panamanian ideal was voted on and recognized by the Senate of the United States. The treaty was later endorsed by John M. Hay, United States Secretary of States and Dr Tomas Herran of Columbia.

  • William Nelson Cromwell (pdf): The Panama Canal treaty, and how he played an active role in the construction of the canal in panama by the United States.

  • Theodore Roosevelt: His involvement in the construction of the canal by putting it under the command of the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

  • Thomson-Urrutia Treaty: A comprehensive treaty resource, including the Thomson-Urrutia Treaty of April 20, 1921.



Isthmian Canal Commission

The Isthmian Canal Commission was formulated by the United States Government to supervise the construction of the canal. The commission was established in 1904 and Joseph Bucklin Bishops was appointed the Executive Secretary, over which the sovereignty of the canal was freely exercised by the United States.



Planning And Construction

The canal location was carefully investigated by the United States. The Chief Engineer, John Frank Stevens, convinced President Theodore Roosevelt of the feasibility and quality of a canal built with locks and dams. Diseases were kept under control, especially malaria and yellow fever, mostly thanks to the work of Dr. Carlos Finlay. A Cuban scientist and physician, he identified the mosquito as being the carrier of malaria fever.

Explosives were used to break up hundreds of cubic yards of materials, and were carried away in railroad cars with the help of steam shovels that were fixed on railroad tracks. Some equipment used for the construction includes: enormous steam powered cranes, rock crushers, dredges, cement mixers and power drills. French equipment, such as hydraulic crushers, was replaced by American machinery. In addition, extensive electric generators and large distribution systems were built. And in 1907, George Washington Goethals was appointed as chief engineer of the canal, after the resignation of John Frank Stephens.

The canal was finally completed in 1914, and was officially opened the same year.

  • Dr. Carlos Finlay: His hypothesis later resulted in the elimination of yellow fever.

  • Sickness: The effects of tropical disease such as yellow fever and malaria, in the construction of the panama, and how William Crawford Gorgas, was appointed as a sanitary officer to prevent the spread of the infection among the laborers.

  • Dams and Locks: Photos about the canal lock during the construction of the canals and facts about the canal locks.

  • Lock Size: Panama Canal achievements, lock sizes, approximate distance saved and tolls.

  • Layout (pdf): Photo Information about the length, height, 3 sets of locks and the artificial lakes of the canal.

  • Equipment Used: Information about the crane equipment used during the construction of the canal.



Life After The Canal Was Built

The Madden dam was constructed in the 1930s to prevent shortage of water to the canal. It was constructed above Gatun Lake, and across the Chagres River. Madden Lake was also created to act as a backup source to store water for the canal. However, by 1939, a larger lock was constructed and other expansive excavations were carried out to accommodate bigger ships. Today, the 51 miles long Panama Canal is regarded as one of the world’s greatest engineering accomplishments ever achieved.

In 1999, on December 31st, the United States signed over the rights to the Panama Canal to Panama.

  • Capacity (pdf): An overview of the capacity of the canal including photos and graph about cargo information and transit of the canal.

  • Control: Information about the control of the canal the signing of a treaty by US President Jimmy Carter in 1977 leading to its complete control by the Panamanians.

  • Panama Canal: Facts about the Panama Canal from the Panama Canal Museum.

  • Tolls: Panama Canal tolls have played, and will continue to play, an important role in commerce.



More Canals Around The World

Created for various purposes, there are many other canals around the world. Some of these include the Amsterdam-Rhine, Stockholm, Suez, Alappuzha, Nan Madol, Suzhou and Bruges Canals. One of the most well-known canal systems is located in Venice, Italy; it is common to hear a city with canals referred to as having a 'Venetian' quality.

  • Canal Construction at Barge: Resource about the Barge Canal in New York, and how it plays a significant role in the barging of oil and in military history.

  • Canals in Amsterdam: Historic overview, facts and videos about the development of canals in Amsterdam.

  • Canals in Britain: Information on history, maps and useful links about the British Canals.

  • Midi Canal: Photographs, detailed maps, lock size, technical data and a brief overview of the canal.