1. DO NOW
How many triangles are in the drawing below. Hint: It’s more than 25… and here is the first.

2. Panama Canal History

3. 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.

4. Suez Canal

5. 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

6. Suez Canal

7. 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

8. 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.

9. US Panama Canal
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

10. 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

11. Isthmus of Panama
Crossing from Pacific to Atlantic, a ship travels in a northwesterly direction across the Panama Canal

12. Canal Zone

13. 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

14. Panama Canal Construction

15. Locks Raise/Lower Ships

16. My Home in the Canal Zone

17. Panama Canal Locks

18. 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

19. 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

21. 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