Panama Canal

The Panama Canal was constructed in two different stages. The first stage began in 1881 and ended in 1888. The work done in the first stage was done by the French company headed by de Lessop. The second stage of construction took place in 1904-1914. During the second period American workers worked on the Canal.

"The first attempt to build the Canal was made by a French company, but the attempt ended in failure in 1889. The American government eventually bought out the French for 40 million dollars, and their attempt to build the Canal started in 1904. The project ended in triumph, with the Canal opening in 1914, and it is now a vital artery of international trade, with nearly 14,000 ships travelling through it every year."

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The Panama Canal is about fifty miles long. It runs across the center of Panama and links the Atlantic and Pacific. At the ends of the canal in the Pacific and Atlantic, there are locks that either raise the ship to the surface of the canal or lower the ships to sea level. The Canal itself is made up of the Gaillard Cut Channel and the Gatun Lake.

The total financial cost to the American government was around $375 million to build the canal. Not only did it cost Americans a lot of money, but many American lives as well. the death toll by the time the canal was finished was a bout 25,000 people.

Ultimately, the Panama Canal was a vital part of history. This canal was used by early explorers. Without this canal world shipping and trading would be much more complicated. The Panama Canal is a key element to all of history.