America Claims an Empire 573
NEW YORK CITY
New York City and other U.S.
Atlantic ports accounted for
about 60 percent of the traf-
fic using the Panama Canal
in the early decades of its
existence.
▼
Panama is a narrow stretch
of land—or isthmus —that
connects North and South
America. In building the canal,
engineers took advantage of
natural waterways. Moving
ships through the mountains
of the Continental Divide
required the use of massive
locks. Locks allow a section
of the canal to be closed off
so that the water level can
be raised or lowered.
THINKING CRITICALLY
THINKING CRITICALLY
1. Analyzing Patterns On a world map, identify the route
that ships took to get from New York City to San
Francisco before the Panama Canal opened. How did
this route change after the opening of the canal?
2. Creating a Model Use clay to shape a model of a
cross-section of the Panama Canal as shown in the
Science and Technology feature on page 567. For the
locks, use styrofoam blocks or pieces of wood which
you have glued together. Paint the model, and then
label each part of the canal.
SEE SKILLBUILDER HANDBOOK, PAGE R31.
IRESEARCH LINKS
CLASSZONE.COM
Image not available
for use on CD-ROM.
Please refer to the
image in the textbook.
