DO NOW How many triangles are in the drawing below. Hint: It’s more than 25… and here is the first.
Panama Canal History
The French & the Suez Canal In 1869, the French diplomat & developer, Ferdinand de Lesseps opened the 102-mile long Suez Canal in Egypt connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. The sea-level canal across the Isthmus of Suez allowed ships to travel from India to Europe without going around Africa, eliminating more than 4300 miles from the old shipping routes. At 145 years-old, the Suez Canal is still one of the world’s most important maritime hubs with over 17,000 ships traversing it every year.
Suez Canal
Isthmus of Suez Isthmus - a narrow strip of land with sea on either side, forming a link between two larger areas of land Sea-Level Canal – A canal without locks
Suez Canal
Ferdinand de Lesseps in Panama Ferdinand de Lesseps wanted to replicate his success in Egypt and saw the 50-mile Isthmus of Panama as another potential maritime hub… and money-maker
The French Panama Canal-1881 De Lesseps and his French backers began work on Panama Canal in 1881 Engineers planned for a sea-level canal but ran into mountainous jungles & rocky terrain Yellow Fever & Malaria killed many workers Eventually, the French ran out of money and tried to salvage their “investment” by selling the project to the US.
US Panama Canal - 1904 Theodore Roosevelt is considering a canal in Panama or maybe Nicaragua De Lesseps negotiates with US but… Panama is part of Colombia and has no interest in a US canal Back-room deals result in the US backing Panamanian independence, buying out the French & negotiating a US canal w/Panama
Canal Zone The US leases a swath of land in Panama about five miles wide and 50 miles long in perpetuity On November 18, 1903, the US & Panama agree to establish the Panama Canal Zone On February 26, 1904, Panama agrees to US occupation of the Canal Zone in perpetuity
Isthmus of Panama Crossing from Pacific to Atlantic, a ship travels in a northwesterly direction across the Panama Canal
Canal Zone
US Panama Canal – 1904 to 1914 The US ran into same engineering and health problems as the French Colonel William Gorgas drained swamps and greatly improved sanitation to minimize mosquitoes carrying disease. In 1905 an engineering panel decided a lock system was more practical than a sea-level canal
Panama Canal Construction
Locks Raise/Lower Ships
My Home in the Canal Zone
Panama Canal Locks
Panama & Canal In 1977, the US & Panama agree to transition the Canal back to Panama On December 31, 1999, Panama obtained full control of the Panama Canal In 2006, Panamanians passed a referendum to allow the expansion of the Panama Canal at an estimated cost of $5.25 billion
Canal Expansion Expansion is due to finish around 2016 Deeper-draft ships will be able to cross the Canal. Capacity of the Canal will double
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shWrzvNGLdw
FINISH CLASSWORK EXIT TICKET - Write a paragraph on the back of your worksheet explaining how you think the Panama Canal Expansion will benefit the Port of Houston