Panama Canal Essay The canal was the best thing that ever happened to Panama. The Panama Canal was started under President Roosevelt and completed by his successor, William Howard Taft. The canal was built across an isthmus, a narrow body of land that connects two larger land areas, which connects North and South America. In some places in Panama the isthmus is only 50 miles across. The French started the canal in the late 1800's. They had just built the then famous Suez Canal with relative ease. The Suez Canal, unlike the Panama Canal, was a straight canal on level ground, in a relatively dry climate. The French had failed in building the Panama Canal because of the tropical climate, in which deadly tropical diseases consumed their …show more content…

Because of the canal Panama has been become known to the world as "the crossroads of the world." Panama has become a very diverse country, with peoples ranging from Japanese, Chinese, West Indies, Frenchmen, Italians, Turks, Americans, and Panamanians.
Much of the population realizes the American importance in Panama and the benefits that they have brought to Panama. About 71 percent of the population of Panama said that the American bases were healthy for the country, and 8 out of 10 people said that the American bases should have stayed. Because of the Americans and the canal the Panamanians have a standardized currency, the dollar. The canal has brought good American schools and Americans in the Canal Zone "inject" about $300 million into the local economy every year, that's the country's third largest source of income.
The Panama Canal and the Americans that it brought was the best thing to happen to Panama. It brought diversity to the country as well as many good American institutions, such as school, libraries, and hospitals. It brought good education to the country as well as a standardized currency. The Canal Zone employed many of the residents and the Americans living there put in $300 million a year into the economy. The canal itself is a good source of income to the Panamanians; when the Americans paid the rent when they were there and now, from ships paying fees.