Panama Canal

With the Caribbean Sea as my topic for my research paper, I have been finding out something interesting stuff. One of the main things that I was interested in was the Panama Canal. This canal connects the Atlantic and Pacific through the Panama Isthmus. I was astonished when I found out that there is a 19 foot difference in the tide heights at these 2 locations. The lock system allows the ships to be lifted and dropped these 19 feet. Without that lock system (there are 3 locks along the canal) it would be extremely difficult for ships to travel the canal safely and maneouver up and down this 19 foot difference. France began building the canal but The United States assumed control of the project and finished building it. The Canal opened in 1914 and has only been closed once since. Without the canal, ships would be required to travel around the southern tip of South America in order to reach the opposite sea. The canal cuts days of travel off the route. Interstingly, the United States has been managing the canal for many years, despite its location (not connected directly to the United States). However, on December 31, 1999, the canal was returned to Panama. It is amazing to think of the history that the canal went to just ot allow the passage to connecting seas. As for the Caribbean, it has increased interest in the sea as well as traffic.