An artificial waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the Panama Canal is one of the biggest game-changers in the maritime industry. Spanning 84 kilometres, it cuts across the Isthmus of Panama. We explore the history of this amazing achievement of mankind.
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Join MemoriesMary Carr Plans to build a canal that cuts across the Isthmus of Panama came as early as 1534 by the King of Spain. The French even attempted at construction in 1881. However, it wasn’t until 22 January 1903 that the United States was granted a renewable lease on the land where the Panama Canal was to be built.
Mary Carr Workers in the water helped blast through the Culebra Cut.
Mary Carr It wasn’t until 4 May 1904 that the United States finally gained control over the property and commence construction of the Panama Canal.
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Mary Carr The first self-propelled vessel to pass through the Panama Canal was the Alexandre La Valley, a French crane boat on 7 January 1914.
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Mary Carr The first passenger vessel to traverse the entirety of the Panama Canal from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean was the S.S. Cristobal.
Mary Carr Construction of the Panama Canal was finally completed and was open to maritime traffic on 15 August 1914. The first to pass was the S.S. Ancon, an American cargo and passenger ship.
Mary Carr Further construction around the Canal was conducted in 1935 to address the issues like water supply and water storage.
Mary Carr The Panama Canal created some tension between the United States and Panama, which led to U.S. President John F. Kennedy and Panama President Roberto Chiari to have a series of secret meetings to discuss the situation.
Mary Carr Protests regarding the control of the Panama Canal continued to rise, leading to violent riots that left 91 people injured and six students dead. The U.S. officials were charged for the deaths of the unarmed students.
Mary Carr Students from the Instituto Nacional marched with the Panamanian flag.
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Mary Carr Panama’s de facto head of state, Omar Torrijos and U.S. President Jimmy Carter signed the Torrijos-Carter Treaties that gives Panama full control over the Panama Canal on 7 September 1977.
Mary Carr Jimmy Carter and Omar Torrijos shaking hands moments after the signing of the Torrijos–Carter Treaties
Mary Carr Panama finally regained full control of the Panama Canal on 31 December 1999.
Mary Carr Water is life.
Mary Carr 92 years after its opening, the citizens of Panama voted to expand the Panama Canal on 22 October 2006.
Mary Carr The canal expansion construction commenced on 3 September 2007 to ease congestion. It was completed in 2016, two years behind its original completion date. Source: https://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/videos/american-experience/8eaf6f3b-cd23-44f3-80f6-05b28c5ffad7/66212/hd-mezzanine-16x9/tr_panama_TORY2.mp4