Ep 6. The Panama Canal

The episode titled "The Panama Canal" is the final installment of the first season of Seven Wonders of the Industrial World. This episode chronicles the herculean effort put forth by the United States to build a canal across the isthmus of Panama which would connect the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The episode begins by setting the stage for the project - the discovery of gold in California which drove Americans to traverse the dangerous routes through Nicaragua and the incredibly long and treacherous route around the southern tip of South America to get to the Pacific.

The episode then dives into the construction process itself, discussing the early efforts by the French to build the canal and their ultimate failure in the face of the deadly and unforgiving tropical climate. Despite this, the French managed to make some progress and even helped to lay the groundwork for the eventual American success. After several years of consideration and debate, the US took on the task of building the canal in 1904, hiring over 40,000 workers for the project.

The efforts were incredibly labor-intensive, with workers forced to deal with scorching heat, torrential rains, and disease-carrying mosquitoes. The episode documents the efforts of those who oversaw the project, such as John Stevens and William Gorgas, and explores the technological leaps that were made in the construction process, including the use of massive steam shovels and the development of a railway system to transport material to and from the work site.

Perhaps the most significant challenge of the entire project was the need to carve a path through the mountains in order to create a continuous waterway. The episode discusses the methods used to accomplish this, including the use of dynamite to blast through the thick rock and the work of those who labored for years on end to dig the massive trench.

As the years wore on, the project faced significant setbacks, including mounting costs and devastating landslides. But through it all, the workers persevered, determined to finish the canal and connect the oceans. In 1914, after a decade of backbreaking work, the canal was finally completed. The episode culminates in the opening ceremony, during which the SS Ancon made the first official transit through the canal, signaling the end of an era and the beginning of a new one.

Throughout the course of this episode, viewers are treated to a wealth of information about one of the most impressive engineering feats of the 20th century. From the heat and disease to the political and financial struggles, this episode provides a sweeping overview of a project that fundamentally reshaped the world and made global trade possible on a far grander scale than ever before.