Question

What was the first problem that had to be taken care of before building the Panama Canal could begin?

A hiring enough workers who understood how to run the machines necessary for building
B getting supplies
C mosquitoes causing yellow fever and malaria
D having enough money to pay the workers

Answer 1

What most people don't know is that the Spanish had actually come up with the idea for the project. But the materials and the health care and the problems with malaria and yellow fever are what caused them to drop the project. Roosevelt stepped in and took over the project. The US had already been established as a military, economic, and international superpower at this point. So it wasn't a matter of not having the money to pay the workers. They didn't know about the problems with malaria and yellow fever until after the project started. Now lets look at A and B a lot of the workers were unskilled and didn't know how to operate the heavy machinery. However, these people were poor and needed work to provide for themselves and their families in an unstable. Plus they worked cheaper than the American's. So if I were you I would choose B because it was very difficult for the men to move the supplies down into the canal before they could finish the project. :) Hope this helps.