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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. Ferdinand de Lesseps' second attempt at going public, is the largest financial endeavor yet, with each share ($100) representing a year's income for half of France's working class, but may be bought how?

2. When is the sanitation problem remedied at Colon when the town burns to the ground?

3. Chairman Morgan appears happy questioning witnesses in February 1902, and his badgering of Ydouard Lampry, the Compagnie Nouvelle spokesman creates what?

4. Who rebuilds Colon after it goes up in flames, killing 18 and leaving some 8,000 homeless?

5. Chapter 8 summarizes what evolves in the courtrooms and subsequent to massive corporate collapse that affects how many French investors?

Short Essay Questions

1. What transpires when newspaper headlines proclaim the "Great Canal Crash" to readers around the world?

2. Among the earliest authoritative studies, the Political Essay on the Kingdom of New Spain, published in 1811, is sketchy about a number of things, but is adamant about what?

3. What do Ferdinand de Lesseps and his companions find in Panama City?

4. What is notable about the date of October 20, 1893?

5. What takes place in Havana, Cuba, during the Spanish-American War of 1898 that encourages Theodore Roosevelt in his zeal for a canal in Central America?

6. What is the result of Gaston Blanchet's proposal for a 400' wide swath to ease surveying?

7. In mid-November 1887, what sort of new locks does Ferdinand de Lesseps state Alexandre Gustava Eiffel will be designing and building?

8. What are the essential elements, pros and cons, to A.G. Menocal's canal proposal?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Ferdinand de Lesseps was successful in getting the Suez Canal completed in ten years. Why was Compagnie Universelle attempt in the Panama a failure? What factors that he has control over does he fail to address? What matters are out of his hands? Hindsight is 20/20, but what should he have done differently? Was there any way for de Lesseps to pull Panama off successfully?

Essay Topic 2

Chapter 3 shows that only Ferdinand de Lesseps's preconceived opinions and views matter at the 1879 Congris International d'Ytudes du Canal Interocyanique in Paris. Why does de Lesseps not hold a legitimate meeting? Would it still not have come down to Panama or Nicaragua, as it did in the debates years later in Walker vs. Morgan? He is definitely a "take charge" type, but why does he continuously shrug off critical facts presented to him? Why does his success not carry over to Panama?

Essay Topic 3

The Panama Canal is built under three American presidents: Theodore Roosevelt, William H. Taft, and Woodrow Wilson. Who can be given the most credit for U.S. success there? What actions or efforts, before, during, or after their time in office, substantiate your position in selecting one over the other two?

(see the answer keys)

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