The Panama Canal

"The Panama Canal" by Duncan E. McKinlay is a story of ambition and achievement, chronicling the creation of the Panama Canal—a vital link between oceans that reshaped world trade. It explores the canal's long history, from early ideas that spanned centuries to the final, triumphant construction. The account showcases the serious problems faced by the builders, ranging from tough political talks to complex engineering, from worker issues to dangerous sicknesses. Figures like Colonel G. W. Goethals and President Theodore Roosevelt are shown as important leaders in getting the canal built. Ultimately, it tells how the canal boosted America's importance by creating faster trade routes and changing how the world does business.