The story behind building a canal through the isthmus of Panama is one of incompetence and corruption on the part of the French, who first attempted the feat. Many of the actions of the United States in acquiring the land through which...

This site presents a history of the construction of the Panama Canal. Content includes information on the Panama Canal Treaty, the canal's construction, involved government leaders, and the transition of the canal from U.S. hands to...

A map from 1852 of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Mexico, showing the proposed railroad route connecting the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific. This was an alternative proposal to the construction of the Panama or Nicaragua canals, and was...

A map from 1912 of the United States Canal Zone in Panama. The map shows the location of the canal, the deepened approaches to the canal, and the locks. The map also shows mountain ranges, railroads, projected railroads, post offices,...

A map from 1901 of the Isthmus of Nicaragua, showing the proposed route of the Atlantic-Pacific canal from San Juan del Norte (Greytown) on the Caribbean coast to Lake Nicaragua, then to Brito near San Juan del Sur on the Pacific coast....

A biography of the life of explorer Vasco Nunez de Balboa.

Civilization in Mesoamerica flourished and crashed repeatedly, giving rise to a distinctive worldview and some remaining mysteries. This article discusses the rise of early civilizations in this region.

A map from 1913 detailing the Panama Canal Zone and completed canal, with an inset map of the entire country of Panama "The dotted lines show the boundary of the territory known as the Canal Zone, a strip ten miles wide, from deep water...

A map from 1906 of the Isthmus of Panama showing the railroad from Colon to the city of Panama, the projected route of the canal, the provinces of Panama at the time (Chiriqui, Veraguas, Azuero, and Panama), and the borders with Costa...

A map from 1914 of the completed canal across the Isthmus of Panama. The map shows the Caribbean Sea entrance at Colon, the route of the canal through Gutan Lake and lock system, the Pacific entrance at the city of Panama, the Canal Zone...

A relief map from 1890 showing terrain features of South America. "South America is the fourth continent in size, and strikingly resembles North America in the arrangement of its relief-forms. It has, like the latter, a predominant...

A map from 1901 of South America showing the general physical features including mountain systems, prominent peaks and volcanoes, river and lake systems, plateaus, and coastal features. The map is color-coded with the highlands above...

A map from 1902 of South America showing the general physical features including mountain systems, prominent peaks and volcanoes, river and lake systems, plateaus, and coastal features. The map is color-coded with the highlands above...

A map from 1898 of South America showing the general physical features including mountain systems, prominent peaks and volcanoes, river and lake systems, plateaus, and coastal features. The map includes an insert of the Isthmus of...

A short biography of Vasco Nunez de Balboa, a Spanish explorer, who is credited with sighting the Pacific Ocean while crossing the isthmus of Panama.

A map from 1904 of the Panama Canal showing terrain relief of the isthmus, noting the 'Canal always follows the line of the Railroad’ from Colon to the city of Panama. "For generations the Panama Canal had been the dream of man and for...

A map from 1920 of the Panama Canal showing the Canal Zone boundaries, the channel route from Colon to the city of Panama, railroad route, lakes, reservoirs, locks, and towns along the canal. A chart at the top of the map shows the...

A map from 1920 of the Panama Canal showing the channel route from Colon to the city of Panama with the miles given along the route from Colon, railroad route, lakes, reservoirs, the Gatun dam, locks, and towns along the canal. The map...

Open this page to read the full text of the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty, which gave the U.S. rights to build the Panama Canal.

United States Canal Zone and the isthmus of Panama.

Physical map of South America with map inserts of the Isthmus of Panama and principal products and sea ports of South America. Included are water currents and routes, railroads, select land elevations, time zones, as well as latitude and...

A map of South America from 1901 showing the political boundaries of the time. The map shows capitals, major cities, ports, railroads, rivers, and coastal features. An inset map shows the Isthmus of Panama with the railroad from the...

A map from 1902 of South America showing the national boundaries at the time. The map shows capitals, major cities, ports, railroads, canals, rivers, and coastal features. Railroads appear as red lines, with important trunk lines shown...

A map of South America in 1898. The map shows capitals and major cities, railroads, terrain, rivers, and coastal features, and includes an insert map of the Isthmus of Panama. "The chief industries in South America are herding,...