The Panama Canal- The Eight Wonder of The World

Introduction

It is November 4, 1903 and President Theodore Roosevelt is savoring his cunning move that propelled Panamenians to declare their independence from Colombia. With anmajor obstacle out of the way, Teddy Roosevelt strategically placed the United States in a position to be a world power if the Amercicans could successfully complete building the Panama Canal.

For centuries several nations of thought of  shortening the travel between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceeans. The French who began digging the canal failed to complete the task. President Roosevelt wants to seize the momentum and complete the canal.

You are a member of a three person, top notch, engeneering, medical and military consulting team that President Theodore Roosevelt has brought in to direct the campaign to convince the American people that the United States needs to take over building the Panama Canal.  Roosevelt has asked you to collect information and create a working plan for his approval.

Task

The President needs you to create a presentation for next week.  Your presentation consists of three connected components.

  • Gather and present your background research.
    • You need to research what the French has done.
    • What are diseases that caused so many deaths to workers  and why efforts to eradicate those diseases have failed
    • What other infrastructure need to be in place for the project to succeed.
  • Create your own propaganda piece to encourage Americans that building the Panama Canal is what the United States should do.
  • Write a brief explanation on why you decided to create the propaganda piece that you did.
Process
  1. First you will be assigned to a group of three.  You will remain with that group for the remaining of the project
  2. You must first gather background information in order to successfully complete this project.  You will be given the following table with a few key questions that should guide your investigation.  

    • Background   Information


      What is the French Company?   Want did it accomplish in Panama?

      Why are so many workers in Panama dying?

      What medical treatment is available to them?

      Is it effective?  Why or why not?

      Describe the living conditions for the workers? What is life like for white Americans, Panamanians and West Indians? 

      What are the major engineering challenges confronting those building the canal?

      What infrastructure needs to be in place that supports and sustains positive results?

      What additional resources are needed to successfully complete building the canal?

      Once you have gathered background information then your group needs to evaluate what all heath, engeneering, infrastructre concerns that currently exist.  In order to do a thorough job your group must complete an analysis of each piece examined.  Your group is responsible for completing an Analysis Sheets for each major area of concern.

      Use the following web pages to gather your information:

  3. Analyze your Information  based on all information gathered.

  4. Now it is time to create a propaganda piece of your own.  Since most of the pieces that you have examined have been audio visual it might be better to stay with that model.  In this section it is important to make sure the entire team supports the creation of the project.

  5. Once your team has finished the propaganda piece it is time to write a brief explanation as to why your group chose that particular design and topic.  Be sure to include the following in your paper:

    • Who was the piece intended for?  

    • Why that audience?

    • Why did you use the symbols and characters that you did?

  6. Finally you must present this project to the President.  Your presentation must focus on how much you understand the current situation (your background material), why your piece should be used, and why you created the piece that you did.  All members are expected to participate actively in the presentation.