Timeline of The Panama Canal

Timeline of The Panama Canal

1898- The battleship, Oregon, had to make a 67 day trip to San Francisco, around the tip of Cape Horn. This shows the military importance for having a canal.

1901- The United States and Great Britain signed the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty. This means the Clayton- Buwler treaty was no longer was in effect in return for anybody to be allowed to pass through this canal.

1502- Christopher Columbus made his fourth voyage to the “New World” and became the first white man to visit Panama’s mainland.

1855- Panamanian Railroad completed across land stretch. The length of the road was forty seven miles. It had required the construction of 170 bridges. Possibly delays canal.

1904- Work on the Panama Canal offically begins with the U.S. begining to fight the deadly malaria disease. The U.S' plans to build this massive feat differ from the France's.

1850- The Clayton-Bulwer Treaty was signed by the U.S. and Great Britain declaring that both nations were not to colonize or control Central American Countries. The treaty was made to prevent any one nation building a canal and controlling it for themselves. If a canal were to be built, it would be protected by both nations for neutrality and security and would be open to all nations on equal terms.

1513- Balboa discovered a strip of land over Panama that separated the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. Charles I of Spain initiated a movement to build a passage across the land strip.

1885- American soilders go to Panama to protect the railroad.

1856- A riot betweeen americans living in Panama and the Panamaians broke out. This forced U.S. troops to land on the Pamama beach to keep the way open.

1534- Charles I ordered the Panama regional governor to complete the a survey for a ship canal to the Pacific following the Chagres River. When the survey was completed, the governor decided it was impossible for anyone to do this.

1914- The Panama Canal opened for traffic after the U.S spent over 300 million dollars. It took nearly ten hours for the passage of the first ship through the canal. Its tolls were set at $1.20 per ton for freight and $1.50 per ton for passengers. A freighter carrying a cargo of 4,500 tons paid a toll of about 5,000 dollars.

1848- The Gold Rush in California increases the want for people to either travel across country or take a boat all the way around the tip of South America if they wanted to reach Cali. This would increase the incentive to create a canal or other possible way across the land strip.

*SPOILER ALERT*

1869- U.S. Transcontinental Railroad was completed, limiting need on the Panamanian Railroad and Panama overall.

1925- Panama has more riots. U.S. Marines must stay there for 2 years to keep public order.

1999- On December 31st, the Canal was transferred to the Republic of Panama.

1804- Baron Alexander von Humboldt explores possible sites for a canal spot in

Panama and Nicaragua. This is the first attempt at a canal in years.

1876- The Interoceanic Canal Commission was appointed to find routes for a canal across Panama.

1936- U.S. relinquished the rights to unilateral intervention in Panama, especially its right to use troops outside the borders of the Canal Zone.

1823- The Monroe Doctrine stated that any European nation that entered the Western Hemisphere would be interpreted as an act of war. This means Alexander can no longer work on the canal with a large group.