How the Panama Canal Was Built

Synopsis

John Frank Stevens, an accomplished engineer, leads the ambitious effort to construct the Panama Canal in the early 20th century. Faced with the challenges of Panama's jungle and nearly 10 mudslides a year, Stevens shifts from a sea-level canal plan to a more complex lock system. This decision requires convincing the United States government to change course. On August 15, 1914, the SS Ancon becomes the first ship to traverse the completed canal, transforming global trade and connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.