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The French were the first to try and build a canal across South America, starting in 1882. Before they could start work, they needed to secure a concession from the Columbian government, which controlled Panama at that time. However, their project failed, thousands of workers died (mainly from disease,) and the company went bankrupt six years later, in 1888. A Frenchman named Philippe Bunau-Varilla managed to keep the effort from collapsing entirely, and looked for another party to take up the concession. The United States, which was also interested in building a canal, negotiated to buy the concession from the French. However, Columbia refused the sale.
Meanwhile, nationalism was stirring in Panama. An agreement was made with the US government that if the US would help Panama gain their independence, they would allow the canal to be built. In 1903, Panama became its own country, and the United States immediately recognized the new government. Columbia sent troops to reclaim Panama, but US warships prevented them from landing.
After the United States helped Panama win its independence, a treaty was immediately negotiated to allow the US to build a canal. The treaty granted considerably more to the US then the failed agreement with Columbia had, including rights to use military within Panama and US control of the Canal Zone in perpetuity. In essence, the Canal Zone would be part of the US in all but name. However, the man who signed for the Panamanians, the Frenchman Bunau-Varilla, was not part of the official delegation from the new Panamanian government, and some Panamanians felt that the rights granted to the US in the treaty were excessive.
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In 1902 U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt decided to take on the abandoned works of the Panama Canal that had been started by the French, but the Colombian government in Bogotá balked at the prospect of a U.S. controlled canal under the terms that Roosevelt's administration was offering. Roosevelt was unwilling to alter his terms and quickly changed tactics, encouraging a minority of Conservative Panamanian landholding families to demand independence, offering military support. The declaration of independence was written by Carlos Antonio Mendoza, and on November 3, 1903, Panama finally separated, and Dr. Manuel Amador Guerrero, a prominent member of the Conservative political party, became the first constitutional President of the Republic of Panama. The U.S., which had a small naval force in the area, prevented the Colombians from sending reinforcements by sea, aiding the Panamanians. In November 1903, Phillipe Bunau-Varilla -- a French citizen who was not authorized to sign any treaties on behalf of Panama without the review of the Panamanians - unilaterally signed the Hay-Bunau Varilla Treaty which granted rights to the U.S. to build and administer, indefinitely, the Panama Canal, which was opened in 1914. This treaty became a contentious diplomatic issue between the two countries, reaching a boiling point on Martyr's Day (9 January 1964). The issues were resolved with the signing of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties in 1977 returning the former Canal Zone territories to Panama. The U.S. controlled the Panama Canal until 1999.
Following the French failure in cooperation with Colombia (1880-1893), the US committed many more resources to the project. In the interim between the attempts, there were important improvements in medicine, notably the confirmation of mosquitoes as vectors for yellow fever and malaria. Still, nearly 5600 workers died during US construction from 1904 to 1914. The US successfully implemented the independence of Panama in 1903 in furtherance of the project.
Basically, the United States had a much greater national interest to connect the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, much as the Transcontinental Railroad had linked the coasts in 1869.
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What country build the canal?
THe Panama Canal was built by the United States of America.
Where was the Panama Canal constructed?
they had to decide to build the canal in Nicaragua or panama they chose to build it in panama .
In what continent is Panama Canal in?
The Panama Canal is located in Panama. Panama is located in Central America which is located in South America.
Why was the Panama Canal put in Panama?
The Panama canal was built in Panama because that is the narrowest point between North and South America.
What region is the Panama Canal located in?
The Panama Canal is in the country of Panama in the region of Central America.
What took longer to build the Erie Canal or the Panama Canal?
The Erie Canal took 8 years. It took ten years to build the Panama Canal.
What is located in the panama canal?
The Panama Canal is in the country of Panama in the region of Central America.
Why did the us build a canal through panama?
to have a faster way of getting to the other side of America
Is the Panama Canal located in England?
No, the Panama Canal is in Central America.
What continent is canal located in?
The Panama Canal is located in Panama. Panama is located in Central America which is located in South America.
What two countries worked together to build the Panama Canal?
The French and the U.S. worked together to build the Panama canal.
How did the US get the land it needed to build panama canal?
The United States of America was given the land it needed to build the Panama Canal through the signing of the Hayâ??Herran Treaty. The treaty was signed on January 21, 1903.
