US Events: The Panama Canal

Prior to the construction of the Panama Canal, the only route of travel between the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean was by way of rounding Cape Horn of South America on rough seas and figid weather. After a failed attempt by the French in the 1880's, America under the strong support of President Theodore Roosevelt took up construction of this canal again in 1904. With better medical care and knowledge of Yellow Fever which plagued the region, the American team completed the canal in 1914 with only 5,600 deaths compared to the French's 21,900. This canal shortened the trip from New York to San Fransisco to 5,900 miles, a fraction of the 14,000 if a vessel were to travel around the cape. Similarly in Egypt the Suez Canal opened up the Indian ocean to the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean, allowing trade to be more easily conducted between Western Europe and Asia by saving the lengthy and costly trip around Southern Africa.