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The bribing of the Panama Canal
Roosevelt offered Columbia $10 million in cash and $250,000 yearly in rent to allow the United States to build a Canal through Panama. Not only would it improve global shipping, but it would make it easier for the United States Navy to defend the nations new overseas empire as well. -
Gunboat Revolt
A revolt took place on November 3, 1903. United States gunboatss waited in the harbor to provide support for the rebels. United States Marines landed in Colon to prevent hostile Colombian troops from reaching Panama City. Many Americans were alarmed by Roosevelts role in the revolt, criticizing his "gunboat diplomacy." -
Recognition of the independent Republic of Panama
The United States immediatley recognized the independent Republic of Panama. A frenchman acting for panama signed a treaty giing the U.S. permanent use and control of a 10-mile-wide zone across the Isthmus of Panama. The U.S. agreed topay $10 million plus $250,000 a year in rent. -
The Roosevelt Corollary
In 1904, European nations considered using Military force to collect overdue debts from the Dominican Republic. To prevent any such action, Roosevelt announced a new policy. It came to be known as the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. Construction on the Panama Canal started in 1904. -
Obstacles in Building
In 1904, the U.S. government began tobuild a canal across Panama. President Roosevelt urged the engineers to "make the dirt fly." The first great obstacle to building the canal was not an enginerring problem, but a disease. Malaria and yellow fever were widespread in Panama. Real work on the canal could not begin until those diseases were controlled. -
Disease
In Novemeber, 1906, Roosevelt himself visited the canal, posing at the controls of a Bucyrus Shovel. It seemed that the project could not fail. The huge effort paid off. By 1906, Gorgas had nearly wiped out yellow fever and reduced malaria in Panama. -
The opening of Panama Canal
Video The Panama Canal opened on August 15, 1914. After years of work, the Atlantic and the Pacific were joined. The world scarcely noticed. German troops were driving across Belgium toward Paris; the newspapers relegated Panama to their back pages. The greatest engineering project in the history of the world had been dwarfed by the totality of World War 1. -
Reflection
While building the Panama Canal, they faced many obstacles. The workers risked their lives to build it. People left their families and homes to go and work to build it. Some even risked brining their families down there with them. Diseases and accidents were very common.
