Watch the following video about the history of the Panama Canal; it contains important information about the French and the American effort to create the canal.The Panama Canal extends diagonally across the Isthmus of Panama from south-east to north-west, a distance of 42 miles from shore to shore. This small strip of land was the key to creating a passageway that would increase trade and cut travel time tremendously. The Spanish, The French, and Americans all realized the importance of controlling the geographic factors of Panama.
Watch the following video about the history of the Panama Canal; it contains important information about the French and the American effort to create the canal.
Source: History of Panama, GrupoColon2000, YouTube
After watching the video, complete the chart below.
Determine if the statement describes the French the American effort to build the Panama Canal.