The Panama Canal

1
The Panama Canal

• Jill Hamer
• History 141
• Arguello

2
the Panama Canal Film

• Travel between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans
  was a lengthy journey before it was decided to
  break through the isthmus of Panama.
• The goals that the construction of the Panama
  Canal would achieve were societal progression,
  promotion of commerce and a link to uniting
  nations.
• In 1878, the French company, Compagnie
  Universelle du Canal Interocéanique de Panama
  (The Universal Inter-Oceanic Company of Panama),
  was formed to finance construction of the canal.
• In 1894, the company was reorganized as the
  Compagnie Nouvelle du Canal de Panama (The New
  Company of the Panama Canal).

3
Main Event

• The new French company struggled and also went
  bankrupt financing the canal.
• French laborers suffered many hardships harsh
  weather, geological mishaps, malaria, yellow
  fever, injuries, and death.
• Times of heavy rain and repeated landslides would
  set back production by several months at a time
  and destroy machinery.
• Technological and medical advancements were
  lacking.
• French machinery was too delicate to withstand
  Panamas harsh terrain.
• Furthermore, Doctors did not know how to treat
  the insurmountable degree of disease, nor
  determine the cause.

4
Film Retrospect

• In 1899, President Theodore Roosevelt, was
  convinced of undertaking the canal where the
  French left off.
• The threat of Malaria almost overtook American
  workers as well. However, it was discovered that
  the disease was transmitted by mosquitoes.
• After a clean-up initiative was instilled and
  disease was under control, construction resumed
  in 1905.
• Brilliant engineering was applied to the project
  building a system of locks and hydraulic pumps,
  which utilize the natural water pressure to
  sustain operation of the canal, instead of
  Lesseps vision of a sea level canal.
• The Panama canal opened on August 15, 1914.

5
Key Players

• Ferdinand de Lesseps was a charismatic career
  diplomat who handled the Suez Canal.
• Lesseps also was the President of the French co.
  and contracted to head up the Panama Canal
  project. Ultimately failing in the end. (Photo
  far left).
• President Theodore Roosevelt chose Panama for the
  canal location over Nicaragua.
• Roosevelt visited the construction site handled
  the appointment of two different engineers for
  the canal. (Photo far right).
• John F. Stevens was named Chief Engineer in
  1905, organized the construction, chose a
  lock-system for the canal. However, Stevens chose
  to resign in 1907.
• (Photo middle).

6
Goethals and Gorgas

• Colonel George Washington Goethals, Detailed from
  the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, was appointed
  Chairman and Chief Engineer of the Isthmian Canal
  Commission in 1907.
• Under Goethals leadership, the project was
  completed six months ahead of schedule and 23
  million below budget. (Pictured left).
• Gorgas was a world-renowned expert on tropical
  diseases Chief Sanitation Officer in the Panama
  Canal Zone during building of the Panama Canal,
  l904-l9l4.
• Epidemics were raging in l904, but in less than a
  year the canal zone was free of disease, enabling
  the United States to complete the canal with a
  minimum loss of life. (Pictured right).

7
Sources

• http//www.sil.si.edu/Exhibitions/Make-the-Dirt-Fl
  y/civengineer.html
• http//www.canalmuseum.com/documents/panamacanalhi
  story011.htm
• http//www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/tr26.
  html
• http//www.alabamamoments.state.al.us/sec42qs.html