His successors used the new American foothold in the North to declare that the Bering Sea was to be an area in which American authority was absolute. ... A number of U.S. interventions in the Caribbean and Central America were undertaken largely to protect the canal from hostile powers. ... The French had attempted to build a canal at sea level, but grossly underestimated the difficulty of achieving this goal. ...

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