Panama Canal AP History Quiz: Test Your Knowledge

📚 Quick Study Guide

🌍 Construction Timeline: The French initially attempted construction in the 1880s but failed due to disease and engineering challenges. The United States took over in 1904 and completed the canal in 1914. 🤝 Treaty Significance: The Hay-Pauncefote Treaty (1901) with Britain allowed the U.S. to construct and control the canal. The Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty (1903) with Panama granted the U.S. control over the Panama Canal Zone. 🚧 Engineering Feats: The canal uses a lock system to raise ships 85 feet to Gatun Lake, an artificial lake created to reduce excavation work. ⚕️ Disease Control: Significant efforts were made to control malaria and yellow fever, which had plagued the French efforts, largely through the work of Dr. William Gorgas. 🚢 Economic Impact: The canal significantly reduced shipping times and costs, boosting global trade and solidifying U.S. economic power. 🇺🇸 U.S. Control: The U.S. controlled the canal until the Torrijos-Carter Treaties of 1977, which gradually transferred control to Panama, completed in 1999.

Practice Quiz

1. Which country initially attempted to construct the Panama Canal in the 1880s?
   1. Great Britain
   2. United States
   3. France
   4. Spain
2. Which treaty granted the United States control over the Panama Canal Zone?
   1. Treaty of Versailles
   2. Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty
   3. Monroe Doctrine
   4. Treaty of Tordesillas
3. What is the primary engineering feature used in the Panama Canal to raise ships?
   1. Inclined Plane
   2. Lock System
   3. Elevator
   4. Rope and Pulley
4. Which artificial lake was created as part of the Panama Canal's construction?
   1. Lake Ontario
   2. Lake Superior
   3. Gatun Lake
   4. Lake Victoria
5. Who played a crucial role in controlling diseases like malaria and yellow fever during the canal's construction?
   1. Walter Reed
   2. Louis Pasteur
   3. William Gorgas
   4. Robert Koch
6. What was the main reason for the French failure to complete the Panama Canal?
   1. Lack of funding
   2. Political instability
   3. Disease and engineering challenges
   4. Insufficient labor force
7. When did Panama gain full control of the Panama Canal?
   1. 1950
   2. 1977
   3. 1999
   4. 2005