oct 24, 1882 - French Attempt at the Panama Canal
Description:
Needed a faster way to get from the East to the West coast
Suez Canal (1859-1869) a success, so can we build one in Panama too? • French started in 1882
Dug 76 million cubic yards
1/3 workforce sick with yellow fever
= 22,000 workers died
Gave up!
Yellow Fever at the Panama Canal
California Gold Rush spurred interest
French sold their rights in 1864 (after a revolution with Columbia)
Construction began in 1907, complete in 1914
Death rates with French = 176/1,000
Death rates w/ Americans = 6/1,000
Figure 8: The Panama Canal - The Great Culebra
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