The Panamanian Canal

Panama Canal

How was the land acquired to build it?

The United States signed a treaty with the Panamanian government, giving them sovereignty over the Canal Zone. The Canal Zone ran from the city of Colon all the way to Panama City.

What tactics did President Roosevelt employ to gain control of the isthmus?

President Roosevelt at first tried to negotiate with the Colombian government. Roosevelt wanted complete control over the area, but Colombian constitution forbids giving any foreign country sovereignty over domestic soil. After the negotiations failed, Roosevelt sent spies to Colombia to see whether an invasion was feasible. The last option was helping Panamanian rebels gain their independence from Colombia. On November 3rd, 1903 the rebels took over the isthmus with the assistance of an American gunship. In order to ensure the success of the rebellion, Roosevelt sent money to the Colombian troops to leave the isthmus and go back to Colombia.

What was the human price to build it?

Malaria, dysentery, pneumonia all devastated the workforce but none compared to Yellow Fever. An estimated 12,000 workers died during the construction of the Panama Railway and over 22,000 during the French attempt. During the American attempt, 350 white workers died and 4,500 Black workers died (McCullough, 408). Medical care was given to both sets of workers but black workers lived in tents while white workers had private housing.

who did most of the hard labor?

5,000 skilled laborers were needed but those positions were reserved for white U.S. citizens. The vast majority of the positions were unskilled positions. Stevens, who did not trust West Indians, had to rely primarily on West Indian workers for the bulk of the labor. Many of the laborers came from Barbados. White skilled workers were paid in gold and entitled to benefits while the black unskilled laborers were paid in silver and did not enjoy of the benefits extended to the white workers.

What technologies were used to build the canal?

In order to excavate the tons of dirt, Wallace utilized Bucyrus steam shovels. They were 95 ton machines that can scoop up to 8 tons at a time. Stevens, Wallace's successor, made great use of railroads. Railroads were instrumental in building the canal as it was needed to move all the dirt being dug out. He used the swinging boom on a flat car to be able to move the trains easier. He had open cars with plows that were able to off load the dirt in about ten minutes.

The Americans also used dam technology. The entire canal was built around a series of locks and gates.

Why was the canal deemed important to the United States?

The canal was important for a number of reasons. It would mark a major achievement for the United States, succeeding where others have failed. The canal would unite two biggest oceans in the world. The canal would symbolize American genius and innovation, solidifying their status as a world power. It would also be a conduit for American naval power and cement American economic interests. America was the number one industrial power at the time, and it needed to secure a way to ship its goods all over the world.