... California. In 1879, the French, fresh from their success in building the Suez Canal, started building a canal. Over the next twenty years, between 16,000 and 22,000 workers died from malaria, yellow fever, typhoid, snake bites, and accidents. Torrential rains averaging 200 inches a year washed away much of the work. America's 1898 war with Spain made a canal seem essential. During the Spanish-American War, the only way for U.S. ... wall 8-feet thick and 12-feet high, stretching between Cleveland and Pittsburgh. At its peak in 1913, the workforce consisted of 44,000 persons. West Indian w...

• Word Count: 2823
• Approx Pages: 11
• Grade Level: High School