Answer: Colombian troops were unable to negotiate the jungles of the Darien Strait and Panama declared independence on November 3, 1903. Well not only the canal is economical to the ship’s owners and traders, but also for the people of panama. The expanded Panama Canal opened on June 26, 2016. The canal was opened in Aug. 15, 1914 and formal dedication took place on July 12, 1920. Roughly $270 billion worth of cargo crosses the canal each year. Why Panama? | Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute The United States also agreed to guarantee the independence of Panama. US History: Panama Canal for Kids - Ducksters Why is the Panama Canal important to world trade? The idea for a canal across Panama dates back to the 16th century. CDC - Malaria - About Malaria - History - The Panama Canal It serves both commercial and military importance. These lock gates lift the ship literally upto 26 meters above the sea level. By the turn of the century, sole possession of the proposed canal became a military and economic imperative to the United States, which had acquired an overseas empire at the end of the Spanish-American War and sought the ability to move warships and commerce quickly between the Atlantic and … Therefore without the Canal to keep world trade running smoothly, major economic issues would result. The Importance Of The Panama Canal - bartleby The Canal's construction, however, was not simple, and required the U.S. to flex its military muscle and even instigate a rebellion by Panamanian nationalists against Colombia.