The years following the Civil War had seen a steady preparation for this. ... The boundary question was resolved when Britain agreed to accept the decision of an arbitration tribunal which in the end upheld the British case. ... In 1879, the French, fresh from their success in building the Suez Canal, started building a canal. ... America's 1898 war with Spain made a canal seem essential. ... 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