Guiding Question: How did the Panama Canal affect the U.S and why did they build it? The Panama Canal Affected the U.S by making easier transportation. It helped People so that they didn’t have to wait as long to get their things from the west coast. It is true that the Panama Canal isn’t used that often now then it was back then, but back then it was really useful to people. In an article I read that is based on the history of the Panama Canal “the riches of Peru, Ecuador, and Asia, and counting the time it took the gold to reach the ports of Spain, it was suggested to Charles V, that by cutting out a piece of land somewhere in Panama, the trips would be made shorter and the risk of taking the treasures through the isthmus would justify such an enterprise.” So when they did cut out a piece of land from the Panama transportation was so must easier and faster and there were less worries that people’s things wouldn’t get to them. In another article I read; I don’t really remember what the article was called; it said that the Panama Canal was built as a National Defense Project to Protect America from foreign invasion. That is another pro about the Panama Canal. So if we were to be invaded, the Navy and the war ships could move more easily through the Panama Canal. The Panama Canal wasn’t all pros and no cons; a con was when they were building it. "Building the Panama Canal cost about $375 million to construct. That would be about $8.2 Billion in today's money." Either way it was VERY expensive. Another con is “Panama was a state of the country of Columbia. The US fomented revolution in Columbia so Panama could break off and become a country of its own. The USA threatened Columbia with war if it tried to stop Panama from becoming a separate country." The canal took TEN YEARS to build and if they went into war with Columbia, wouldn't you think that the Canal would of took longer to build? The Panama Canal is still used till this day, but
Guiding Question: How did the Panama Canal affect the U.S and why did they build it? The Panama Canal Affected the U.S by making easier transportation. It helped People so that they didn’t have to wait as long to get their things from the west coast. It is true that the Panama Canal isn’t used that often now then it was back then, but back then it was really useful to people. In an article I read that is based on the history of the Panama Canal “the riches of Peru, Ecuador, and Asia, and counting the time it took the gold to reach the ports of Spain, it was suggested to Charles V, that by cutting out a piece of land somewhere in Panama, the trips would be made shorter and the risk of taking the treasures through the isthmus would justify such an enterprise.” So when they did cut out a piece of land from the Panama transportation was so must easier and faster and there were less worries that people’s things wouldn’t get to them. In another article I read; I don’t really remember what the article was called; it said that the Panama Canal was built as a National Defense Project to Protect America from foreign invasion. That is another pro about the Panama Canal. So if we were to be invaded, the Navy and the war ships could move more easily through the Panama Canal. The Panama Canal wasn’t all pros and no cons; a con was when they were building it. "Building the Panama Canal cost about $375 million to construct. That would be about $8.2 Billion in today's money." Either way it was VERY expensive. Another con is “Panama was a state of the country of Columbia. The US fomented revolution in Columbia so Panama could break off and become a country of its own. The USA threatened Columbia with war if it tried to stop Panama from becoming a separate country." The canal took TEN YEARS to build and if they went into war with Columbia, wouldn't you think that the Canal would of took longer to build? The Panama Canal is still used till this day, but