The Saga of the Panama Canal

1. Set Focus
Pose this essential question: Why is the Panama Canal important?

2. List Vocabulary
Share some of the challenging vocabulary words in the article (see below). Encourage students to use context to infer meanings as they read.

• maritime (p. 18)
• isthmus (p. 19)
• sovereign (p. 20)
• envoy (p. 20)
• dispossession (p. 20)
• negligible (p. 21)

3. Engage
Ask students to discuss what they may have recently read or heard about the Panama Canal in the news. Revisit this discussion after the lesson, having students share new insights they’ve gained.

4. Read and Discuss
Ask students to read the Upfront article about the Panama Canal. Review why the article is a secondary source. (It was written by someone who didn’t personally experience or witness the events.) Then pose these critical-thinking questions and ask students to cite text evidence when answering them:

• Why did President Theodore Roosevelt want to build a canal in Panama? (Roosevelt recognized the geographical importance of building a canal in Panama and that owning it would establish the United States as a “rising global force” that “could take its place as one of the great powers of the world.” At the time, before trains and highways grew across the country, that canal made trade between the East and West Coasts cheaper and faster.)

• How was the impact of the Panama Canal on America different than its impact on Panamanians? Why? (The canal “supercharged” American trade, provided well-paid jobs to American citizens, and increased the American GDP by 4 percent. Panamanians, however, were shut out of the Canal Zone, were evacuated from their communities, and were not given jobs. Over time, as they saw little benefit from the canal, many grew to resent losing control of their land.)

• Why did the U.S. agree to give the canal back to Panama? (According to the article, widespread use of trains and the U.S. interstate highway system made it cheaper to ship goods to the West Coast by truck and rail. Moreover, the canal was poorly run and plagued by inefficiencies. By the 1960s, the canal no longer benefited the U.S. economy, and anti-American tensions in Panama were growing.)

• Why has President Trump said that he wants to take the canal back? (President Trump recently accused Panama of charging U.S. ships exorbitant transit fees and said that the Chinese have taken over canal operations, which, experts say, raises security concerns for the U.S.)

5. Use the Primary Sources
Use the Primary Source: Project, distribute, or assign in Google Classroom the PDF ‘In the Highest National Interest,’ which features excerpts from a speech President Jimmy Carter gave about the need to ratify new Panama Canal treaties. Discuss what makes the speech a primary source. (It provides firsthand evidence concerning the topic.) Have students read the excerpts and answer the questions below (which appear on the PDF without answers).

• How would you describe the tone and purpose of these excerpts from Carter’s speech? (The tone can be described as formal yet imploring. The purpose is to persuade the American public to support the passage of new Panama Canal treaties that relinquish the canal to Panama.)

• How does Carter characterize the feelings of Panamanians about the canal and the terms of the original treaty? (Carter states that the canal has been “a source of pride and benefit” to the Panamanians but also a “cause of some continuing discontent.” He notes that the Panamanians believe that the original treaty was unfair and that it was drafted in the U.S., by the U.S. and “was not signed by any Panamanian.” Finally, he admits that the U.S. secretary of state, upon signing the treaty, said it was “not so advantageous to Panama.”)

• What arguments does Carter make to explain why the new treaties should be ratified? (Carter argues that the new treaties “will strengthen [the U.S.’s] position in the world,” strengthen U.S. “security interests,” and improve its “trade opportunities.” In addition, he argues that ratification would show that the U.S. treats others fairly.) 

• What does Carter say about Theodore Roosevelt? Why do you think he mentioned him in the speech? (Carter notes that Roosevelt was the president who began building the canal, was a man who knew when “change was inevitable and necessary,” and would endorse the treaties. Students may note that Carter mentions Roosevelt because the canal was Roosevelt’s accomplishment. Students may also point out that Carter, who was a Democrat, might have invoked Roosevelt because he was a conservative, and Carter wanted to strengthen his own case with the opposition party.)

• Based on the Upfront article and the excerpts from Carter’s speech, do you agree with the decision to transfer control of the canal to Panama? Why or why not? (Students opinions may vary but should be supported by text evidence and reasoning.)

6. Writing Prompt
Research Martyr’s Day in Panama. Summarize what happened on that day, what issues it brought to the forefront, and how it affected America’s policy on the Panama Canal.

7. Quiz
Use the quiz to assess comprehension and the Analyze the Graphs skill sheet to practice data analysis.

8. Classroom Debate
As the biggest user of the Panama Canal, should the U.S. pay lower tariffs than other nations?

9. Speaking With Meaning
Assign each student a paragraph from the Primary Source lesson. Have students make notes about how to best deliver the paragraph as a speech (e.g., words to emphasize, when to pause). After students present their paragraphs to the class, have them explain their choices.