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The Panama Canal

Purpose

  • Connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through Panama

  • Shortens ship travel by avoiding the long and dangerous route around South Americas Cape Horn

Construction

  • First attempted by the French (1881-1889) Failed due to disease and engineering challenges

  • Successfully built by the U.S (1904-1914) after improved disease control and engineering

Impact

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  • Helped global trade and U.S Naval power

  • Led to U.S influence over Panama until Panama had control handed back them of the Panama Canal in 1999

Modern upgrades

Construction of Panama Canal

  • Expanded in 2016 to accommodate larger ships (New Panamax)

Engineering

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Ship passing through the Panama Canal

  • The Panama Canal uses a system of locks to lift and lower ships

  • The original locks have names,, Gatun, Pedro Miguel, and Miraflores

The canal

  • The Panama Canal is a lock-type canal

  • Lock type canals are like water elevators for ships

  • Locks help move boats up and down between different water levels in a canal

How a lock works

Entering the lock

  • A ship enters into a chamber and gates close behind it

Raising or lowering the ship

  • To go up, water is added to the chamber Rising water lifts the ship

  • To go down, water is drained from the chamber The ship lowers with it

Exiting the lock

  • Once the ship reaches the correct level, the front gates open, and the ship leaves

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