The Panama Canal Quiz

What brought thousands of settlers to America’s west coast in the middle of the 19th century?

• Oil rush

• California gold rush

• Diamond rush

• Silver rush

What was the only hope for avoiding a grueling six month wagon journey to transport gold back east?

• Building a railway

• Traveling through Nicaragua

• Building a canal

• Traveling through Panama

Who was the first person to attempt the construction of the Panama Canal?

• Teddy Roosevelt

• Ferdinand de Lesseps

• Woodrow Wilson

• Fidel Castro

What was the major mistake made by Ferdinand de Lesseps during the construction of the canal?

• Digging the canal at sea level

• Ignoring the tropical diseases

• Not using proper equipment

• Not hiring enough workers

What was the name of the dam built by the Americans to create a massive reservoir of water for the canal?

• Chagres Dam

• Gatun Dam

• Suez Dam

• Panama Dam

How many canal locks were built by the Americans to raise traversing ships 26 meters above sea level?

• Five

• Two

• Three

• Four

What was the major source of revenue for Panama after the completion of the canal?

• Agriculture

• Tourism

• The Panama Canal

• Oil exports

When did the Panama Canal officially join the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans?

• 1910

• 1930

• 1913

• 1920

How many vessels travel through the isthmus annually today?

• Over 10,000

• Over 12,000

• Over 14,000

• Over 16,000

Who gained ownership of the Panama Canal in 1999?

• Panama

• France

• Colombia

• United States