The_Panama_Canal

The Panama Canal The Panama Canal Regardless of previous failed attempts by other organizations, the United States was able toovercome the numerous dangers present at the isthmus between North and South America, and build what remains today one of the greatest engineering marvels of the modern world. The successful completion of the Panama Canal in 1914 proved to be a vital link for the entire world. Many unsuccessful attempts were made at building such a canal. Columbus had searched tirelessly for a passage to the treasure-filled Indies, and repeated sailors since that time have tried the same. Emperor Napoleon III of France once suggested the idea of building a canal in France's land across the sea, but this idea never progressed into firm plans. No major progress, with the exception of ideas and suggestions, was made until the 19th century, when a French individual, Ferdinand de Lesseps, felt it was time for a French-owned canal at Panama. Lesseps was the most important foreigner involved with Egypt's Suez Canal, and his great success at Suez made him over-confident that a canal at Panama would be just the same. As he proceeded to convince his countrymen of his plans, the stock for his new company, the Compagnie canal, panama, company, locks, time, lock, french, american, new, million, first, feet, area, put, made, engineer, building, began, america, zone, stevens, spooner, sea-level, roosevelt, lesseps, isthmus, culebra, commission, been, because, , work, width, wallace, treaty, since