The Panama Canal
Chapter 9
Standard
 SS5H3 The student will describe how life changed
in America at the turn of the century.
c. Explain how William McKinley and Theodore
Roosevelt expanded America’s role in the world;
include the Spanish-American War and the building of
the Panama Canal.
Building the Panama Canal
 Theodore Roosevelt became president in 1901 and served until 1909.
 President Roosevelt believed that the US should build a canal linking the
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
 The canal would save ships the long, expensive trip around the southern
tip of South America when traveling from the east coast of the US to the west
coast.
 The best place for the canal was at the
narrowest point in Central America, which
is the isthmus of Panama
 An isthmus is a narrow strip of land
that links two larger pieces of land. It
has water on both sides.
Building the Panama
Canal
 Panama was part of the South American country of
Colombia. Roosevelt tried to buy land for the canal from
Columbia.
 The Columbian government would not sell the land.
 The US decided to help the people of Panama win their
independence from Colombia.
 The new leaders of Panama decided to let the US build the
Panama Canal
Building the Panama Canal
 In August 1914, the Panama Canal finally opened.
 Building the canal was difficult
 Took 10 years to complete
 Dangerous
 Expensive (but, saved money in the long run)
 Benefits of all the hard work:
 The trip that from coast to coast took only weeks instead of
months
 Less expensive
Building the Panama Canal
 MAIN IDEA: The US built the Panama
Canal to open a route between the Atlantic
and Pacific Oceans.
Why it Matters…
 By the early 1900’s the US had become an
international power.