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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Since William Nelson Cromwell has White House access, which John Tyler Morgan reportedly hates him for, what does Cromwell view that as proof of?

2. Whom is Ferdinand de Lesseps hailed as second only to upon his arrival in Panama with his associates in late 1879?

3. Three weeks following the arrival of news of the Colon fire in Paris, Ferdinand de Lesseps achieves the ultimate honor, induction where?

4. A Saint Gotthard Tunnel engineer, Ribourt, warned the 1879 Congris International d'Ytudes du Canal Interocyanique that, even 24 hours a day, the Wyse plan including a tunnel would take how long?

5. Yeas were primarily French, yet A.G. Menocal's analysis of the 1879 Congris International d'Ytudes du Canal Interocyanique canal site vote showed how many were French Society of Engineers members?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are the two routes U.S. proponents of a Central American canal fight for?

2. What are some of the problems author David McCullouch finds Ferdinand de Lesseps has as being key to his failure?

3. What does Ferdinand de Lesseps and those accompanying him encounter at Barbacoas?

4. It is stated the Navy recalls 1850 because Lt. Isaac Strain and his party nearly perish trying to locate a path at Darien, yet what are other reasons beyond that?

5. What do you find to be Ferdinand de Lesseps' most interesting characteristic and why?

6. Who are the three prominent directors of the Turr Syndicate and what are their backgrounds?

7. How can the early years of the Companie Universele be described?

8. What are the reasons Admiral Ammen opposes the official U.S. plan?

9. What does the swindler Cornelius Herz do before he flees to France?

10. Briefly, who is Edouard Drumont?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

David McCullough notes in his initial chapter that all early 19th-century canal plans are preposterous. Every survey is flawed due to assumptions and inaccurate data. Yet the Suez Canal was successfully opening on November 1869, after ten years of construction. It is twice as long as the Panama Canal, which did not open until 1914. Actual work on the Panama did not start until 1880, a decade following the Suez opening. Central America afforded at least 19 possible locations to select from. Explain what causes so many problems in constructing the Panama Canal. What took so long? Why was there such a lengthy battle in Washington? What caused the loss of so many lives?

Essay Topic 2

No scandal in France surrounding the liquidation of Compagnie Universelle reportedly would have taken place except for Ydouard Drumont's publication of "La France Juive" in 1886. What is it about these articles that caused such a commotion? Are the allegations therein true? Why is there no previous complaint? Is there any connection between his writings and his imprisonment for libel?

Essay Topic 3

Dr. William Crawford Gorgas is the U.S. Army's foremost expert on tropical diseases when he is assigned to Panama. Where does he receive his training and his experience? From whom does he gain cooperation at Panama, and from whom does he encounter opposition? What are his biggest medical battles? What sorts of problems and why? What successes does he achieve in Panama? How long is he assigned to Panama?

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