Characteristics

• Opened on August 15, 1914
• Saves a ship from traveling an extra 7872 miles around South America
• The U.S. signed a treaty with Panama in 1903, allowing the U.S. to build a canal across the Isthmus of Panama
• Took ten years to complete
• Cost about $387 million to build
• John F. Stevens and Col. George W. Goethals helped with the engineering and administrative of the canal project
• Col. William C. Gorgas provided help to the health problems involved with the project
• The U.S. owned and operated the canal until December 31, 1999, when it gave it back to Panama

Technology

• Problems that occurred the building of the canal include engineering, sanitation, and organization
• The French started to work on the canal but disease and financial problems forced them to stop
• The Continental Divide was dug through during the construction
• The largest earth dam (up to that time) was built
• The biggest canal locks were designed and built
• The largest gates were built

Wonder Qualities

• Helps a ship travel less distance and thus save time when traveling between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean