what impact have the panama and suez canals had on bypassing barriers and trade
Trade route Modern maritime trade routes - sometimes in the form of artificial canals like the Suez Canal - had visible impact on the economic and political standing of nations.[82] The opening of the Suez Canal altered British interactions with the colonies of the British Empire as the dynamics of transportation, trade and communication had now changed drastically.[82] Other waterways, like the Panama Canal played an important role in the histories of many nations.[83] Inland water transportation remained significantly important even as the advent of railroads and automobiles resulted in a steady decline of canals.[84] Inland water transport is still used for the transportation of bulk commodities e.g. grains, coal, and ore.[85]
History of the Panama Canal By the late nineteenth century, technological advances and commercial pressure allowed construction to begin in earnest. Noted canal engineer Ferdinand de Lesseps led an initial attempt by France to build a sea-level canal. Beset by cost overruns due to the severe underestimation of the difficulties in excavating the rugged Panama land, heavy personnel losses in Panama due to tropical diseases, and political corruption in France surrounding the financing of the massive project, the project succeeded in only partially completing the canal.