Ferdinand De Lesseps: The Building Of The Panama Canal

The building of the Panama Canal seemed so easy, but the first attempt at building proved that to be wrong. Vasco Nuñez de Balboa showed that the Panama Canal was possible in as early as 1513. Frenchman, Ferdinand De Lesseps was in charge of the construction of the Panama canal. The work conditions of the canal were atrocious. The climate in Panama is very humid, and not to mention often there are bugs like mosquitos! Mosquitos are known to carry a countless number of diseases such as smallpox. In "Building the Panama Canal" it states,"Early French crews lost an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 workers to yellow fever outbreaks between 1882 and 1888." In a book called The Panama Canal by Lesley Dutemple it states, "Another problem was that the company didn't have enough money." Lesseps used an optimistic estimate of the funds he needed ,consequently he quickly ran out of cash. The people could not be payed, and this was important because most of the workers needed the money.

Their caused conflict,once the company ran out of money. This made people want to revolt against the company. Panama wanted to sell the land to America, but Columbia would not

Theodore Roosevelt helped Panama revolt. He sent Us navy ships to block Columbia from stoping Panamanians. Panama and the United States then signed a treaty. The treaty gave the U.S. power of the Panama Canal. Which would in the future change to be more in Panama's favor. In 1960s, many Panamanians started to protest against the treaty. Politicians came up with the saying "Panama for Panamanians." The us and Panama changed the treaty in later years. This made the Panama Canal slowly became Panama's.It happened December 1999. Now 1,000s of ships have gone through it! It also had to be widened because ships were built bigger than they were years ago. The Panama Revolt gave Panama freedom to be their own nation. Panama has their own ways and culture