Building the Panama Canal

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Building the Panama Canal
www.vacationscostarica.com/.../panama_canal.htm

• Location

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I. Reasons for Canal

• 1. Political benefit
• a. Move naval ships around globe quickly
• 2. Economic benefit
• b. Move goods from
• east to west quickly
• -cut trade costs
• with Asia

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II. Anger in Latin America

• 1. Teddy Roosevelt boasted about the
• role of the U.S. in resolving Panamas
• revolution.
• a. Many felt U.S. support was unnecessary.

Big Stick Diplomacy
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III. Why Panama?

• 1. Narrow land mass
• 2. Plans to dig a canal in neighboring
• Nicaragua
• a. PROS
• -Less disease
• (healthy conditions)
• -Many Lakes (less digging)
• b. CONS
• -Lakes too shallow
• -Land mass too wide

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IV. Building the Canal

• 1. America succeeded where others failed
• a. Earlier French attempt(s)
• -Failed because
• -Could not control disease
• -Ran out of finances
• b. American success
• -able to control Yellow Fever
• -willing to spend the money

www.stanford.edu/.../Malaria/biology.htm