NAME______DUE DATE______PERIOD_____

The Panama Canal: A Virtual Tour and History

TASK: Click the links below and answer the following questions: (Use the links on my website to complete each task)

Click here  answer Questions 1-7

HISTORY

  1. What nation first thought of building a canal through the isthmus of Panama? ______
  2. a. What event first caused the U.S. to become interested in Panama? ______

______

b. What did the U.S. first build across Panama? ______

  1. a. What event finally caused the U.S. to see the importance of controlling a canal through Central

America? ______

b. Which U.S. President first began exploring the idea of building a canal? ______

c. Where did the U.S. first consider building the canal? ______

d. What act of Congress authorized a canal in Panama? The ______Act

TREATIES

  1. a. What is “the Canal Zone”? ______

______

b. Other than the canal, what does the U.S. get in Panama? ______

c. Other than independence and protection, what else does Panama get? ______

d. What has changed since the original treaty? ______

CONSTRUCTION and IMPROVEMENTS

  1. a. What year did the U.S. take over construction of the Panama Canal? ______

b. What did the U.S. spend the first 3 years doing?

  • ______
  • ______
  • ______
  1. a. What year was work on the canal itself begun? ______

b. What year was the canal finished? ______

c. Do The Math: How long did it actually take the U.S. to build the Panama Canal? ______years

  1. Explain what was added to the canal system in 1962 and why this is important: ______

______

Click here The Panama Canal: A Brief Historyto answer Questions 8-12 (Go to the end of the article and start at the 5th paragraph above the Bibliography which begins “In 1908, changes in the design of the canal had to be made…”)

  1. List 3 unforeseen problems caused by changes in the canal’s design:
  • ______
  • ______
  • ______

READ the next paragraph (“The most difficult area…”) and visit the following links for selected photos of the construction process before answering Question 9:

(1)click Culebra Cut 1898

(2)click Culebra Cut 1904 The US operation starts

(3)click 1910 Culebra Cut

(4)click 1913 Culebra Cut (1)

(5)click 1913 Culebra Cut (2)

(6)click 1913 Culebra Cut (3)

(7)click 1914 Culebra Cut

(8)click 1914 Culebra Cut Steamer SS Ancon Canal Opening Transit

  1. Explain why Culebra Cut was the most difficult area of excavation: ______

______

READ the next paragraph (“The overall design of the canal…”) and visit the following link for a simulation of how the canal works: The Panama Canal: How It Works (click the Transit, Operations, Dimensions links and watch each simulation) before answering Question 10:

  1. Describe the overall design of the canal ______

Read the next paragraph (“The canal was completed…”) before answering Question 11:

  1. What ships are unable to fit through the canal: ______

Read the last paragraph (“The Panama Canal was, is, and shall remain…”) before answering Question 12:

  1. List some difficulties overcome during the construction of the canal:

______

______

______

Visit the following link (Scroll through the article. Make sure you look at the illustrations and ONLY READ THE CAPTIONS AND TITLE TO THE ARTICLE ) before answering Question 13:

13. Explain the purpose of the current project being planned for the Panama Canal and how it will help solve the problem identified in Question12:______

______

EXTRA: Click Panama Canal webcams for a live view of the canal in operation: (click “Last 20 Photos” for some action)