1. Assume that you are living before the Panama Canal was built. Using a comparison/contrast format make an argument as to whether to construct the Panama Canal. You should consider the economic and political implications of the canal and take into account how the region’s physical features could affect the Panama Canal’s success. Use references from the Video Documentary. ( 2 Paragraphs)
2. Write a paragraph describing how the blocking of any one of these choke points around the world could affect your daily life. Make sure you refer to the geographic location of the waterway and the resources would be affected.
Conversely, the argument against construction was rooted in the extraordinary challenges and risks involved, a reality that had already led to the failure of the French effort. The region's physical features presented formidable obstacles. The high rainfall and tropical climate made the area a breeding ground for diseases like yellow fever and malaria, which decimated the French workforce. The volatile geology and the necessity of building locks to traverse the mountains and the fluctuating water levels of the Chagres River made the project seem impossibly complex and dangerous. Politically, the U.S. would have to navigate delicate relationships with both the French company holding the initial rights and the government of Colombia, which controlled Panama at the time. The financial cost would be staggering, and the high death toll from disease would be a moral and public relations nightmare. The Panama Canal video documentary details these immense challenges, illustrating that the very land that made the canal's existence possible also made it an incredibly dangerous and risky endeavor.Conversely, the argument against construction was rooted in the extraordinary challenges and risks involved, a reality that had already led to the failure of the French effort. The region's physical features presented formidable obstacles. The high rainfall and tropical climate made the area a breeding ground for diseases like yellow fever and malaria, which decimated the French workforce. The volatile geology and the necessity of building locks to traverse the mountains and the fluctuating water levels of the Chagres River made the project seem impossibly complex and dangerous. Politically, the U.S. would have to navigate delicate relationships with both the French company holding the initial rights and the government of Colombia, which controlled Panama at the time. The financial cost would be staggering, and the high death toll from disease would be a moral and public relations nightmare. The Panama Canal video documentary details these immense challenges, illustrating that the very land that made the canal's existence possible also made it an incredibly dangerous and risky endeavor.
Sample Answer
Living before the Panama Canal's construction, the decision to build it would be a major point of contention, with powerful arguments on both sides. The primary argument for construction centered on immense economic and strategic advantages. Navigating ships around the treacherous Cape Horn to get from the Atlantic to the Pacific was a journey of over 13,000 miles, taking months and posing significant risks. A canal through the Isthmus of Panama would dramatically shorten this trip to roughly 40 miles, saving a vast amount of time and money in shipping costs. From a military standpoint, a canal would allow the U.S. Navy to move its fleet between oceans quickly, a crucial strategic advantage highlighted by the long journey of the battleship USS Oregon during the Spanish-American War. The French, despite their failed attempt, proved that the physical features of the region, specifically the narrow isthmus, made a canal a plausible engineering feat. The economic promise of global trade and military dominance made the project appear to be an investment in the nation's future.Living before the Panama Canal's construction, the decision to build it would be a major point of contention, with powerful arguments on both sides. The primary argument for construction centered on immense economic and strategic advantages. Navigating ships around the treacherous Cape Horn to get from the Atlantic to the Pacific was a journey of over 13,000 miles, taking months and posing significant risks. A canal through the Isthmus of Panama would dramatically shorten this trip to roughly 40 miles, saving a vast amount of time and money in shipping costs. From a military standpoint, a canal would allow the U.S. Navy to move its fleet between oceans quickly, a crucial strategic advantage highlighted by the long journey of the battleship USS Oregon during the Spanish-American War. The French, despite their failed attempt, proved that the physical features of the region, specifically the narrow isthmus, made a canal a plausible engineering feat. The economic promise of global trade and military dominance made the project appear to be an investment in the nation's future.