The Panama Canal was a technological vision desired by the empires of late 19th century as it promised a high yield of economic remunerations. In the end, the Canal was opened in 1914 by the American Panama Canal Construction Company (McCullough, David). An ample amount of research has been conducted to examine the economic benefits of the Canal to nations besides Panama, such as lower US oil shipping costs, lower costs to the consumer, and faster travelling times for goods and people. The impact that the Canal had on the indigenous peoples of Panama and the local environment is a less researched area into which my argument deviates. I believe this is a greatly mis- and underrepresented area of research as a result of French and American propaganda over the ages. The effects on the indigenous peoples and the native environment mostly contributed to their detriment. On the other …show more content…
Western historians argue that the US acted as a catalyst in a reaction that was destined to happen. The revolution “were led by two groups: officials of the Panama Railroad, held by the French-owned New Panama Canal Company, which sought to benefit financially from selling the rights to build a canal; and leaders of the oligarchy, who hoped for political control of the area once free from Colombia's rule” (Max Paul 2003). Yet, there is the if clause` that argued by Colombian historians that if the United States didn’t position one of its naval ships outside Colombia coast the revolution would had been crushed. Their could argument made that the Panamanians people benefited as they were the sole beneficiaries of treaties signed with the United states. However, their also could be argument made that through the revolution Panama became a client state of the US which was one of the reasons Panama government accepted such low lump sum amount for the rights over the Panama