Name two geographic obstacles and one political obstacle that stood in the way of the construction of the Panama Canal. How did engineers and politicians overcome these obstacles?
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Panama was very mountainous and too much volcanic activity in Nicaragua were geographical obstacles. A political obstacle was the United States had to negotiate with Colombia to obtain the right to build a canal in Panama.
They blasted through tons of mountain stone and built a complex series of locks to move ships across the isthmus. The U.S. and Columbia signed the 1903 Hay-Herran Treaty.
Two major geographic obstacles that stood in the way of the construction of the Panama Canal were the mountainous terrain of the Central American continent and the presence of a large lake, known as Gatun Lake. One political obstacle was the lack of an agreement between the United States and Colombia, which at that time owned the territory where the canal was planned.
To overcome the mountainous terrain, engineers implemented a technique called "cut and fill," where they excavated the hills and used the soil to raise the level of the low-lying regions. This process involved tremendous effort, including the use of explosives, to remove huge quantities of rock and earth. Additionally, they constructed a system of locks, consisting of chambers with water levels, to raise and lower ships as they navigated the elevation changes.
To overcome the presence of Gatun Lake, engineers built the Gatun Dam across the Chagres River. This dam created the artificial lake, which acted as a reservoir to supply water for the canal's locks. By controlling the water levels, the engineers could maintain a consistent waterway for ships to pass.
Regarding the political obstacle, the Panama Canal construction faced difficulty due to the lack of an agreement between the United States and Colombia, as Colombia owned the territory where the canal was initially planned. However, through a combination of political negotiations and some support for Panamanian independence, the United States was able to secure a new agreement with the newly independent Panama in 1903. This allowed the construction to proceed.
Overall, the engineers and politicians combined their expertise, employing advanced engineering techniques to tackle the geographical challenges and engaging in diplomatic negotiations to resolve the political barrier, ultimately leading to the successful construction of the Panama Canal.