The construction of the Panama Canal not only helped shape the United States, but many other countries as well. It created a quicker way to transport goods between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and helped bolster economies around the world. Led largely by U.S. figures, including President Theodire Roosevelt, the Panama Canal took shape from several older failed canal projects. Inside this volume, readers will be amazed by the photographs and primary sources depicting the canal's construction. The accessible text focuses on the human skill and ingenuity it took to create one of the world' greatest civil engineering projects.