Introduction: Panama is the crossroads between North America and South America. From the days of early European explorers, people have looked for ways across the Isthmus of Panama. The French attempted to build a canal across Panama, and eventually the United States succeeded where they had failed. With the Panama Canal came the Canal Zone, and with it a large constituency of American military. To the Canal Zone moved the McGrew family, and there I was born in 1957. Nine years later we were back, and my brother was born there. Forty years later, I was back in Panama for my first visit, with several members of my family. All of the pictures in this lapbook/mini unit came from the trip. Instructions: The Panama Lapbook/Mini Unit includes masters for: Panama Flag 2 Maps Animal cards Plant cards Numerous scenery pictures from Panama City, the Canal Zone, the San Blas Islands, and more There is no right or wrong way to use the information provided here. Let your imagination, and that of your students, guide you. Brought to you by www.creativelearningconnection.com where more of our lapbook ideas can be found. You have permission to copy the enclosed masters for your own children or students.
Costa Rica (North America) Caribbean Sea/ Atlantic Ocean Pacific Ocean Columbia (South America)
Brief Historical Note: During the 250 years from the early 1500 s to the late 1700 s, Portobello was the storage place of stolen gold the Spanish were taking from throughout Central and South America. It was brought here to the Customs House and stored for up to a year. In December, when the eight or nine month wet season ended and the winds changed, ships would be sent from Spain to Portobello to pick up the gold. When they arrived, there would be a two to three week Trade Fair before they left to go back to Spain. In 1668 Henry Morgan hid his ship in the bay here. He arrived at 3 a.m., marched his men to Portobello, sacking the city and taking the Spanish governor hostage. They loaded the ships with loot, released the governor, and then Morgan told him, I ll be back. (We re all quickly deciding that Henry Morgan sounds like quite a character.) The Governor didn t take Morgan s threat lightly, fortifying both Portobello and nearby San Lorenzo. Two years later, Morgan returned, taking both Portobello and San Lorenzo. (Two of only seven times that Portobello was sacked in 250 years.) Brief Historical Note: Old Panama City was the first Spanish City on the Pacific side of Panama. Gold and silver from South America passed through this area, and then up the Royal Trail to Portobello. This was not a good port, since it was not easily defensible, as seen when Henry Morgan attacked in 1671. The city was relocated five miles away in 1673. Brief Historical Note: The Golden Altar was first built in Old Panama, and then moved to the San Jose Cathedral in Panama City later. It has an interesting story about how it was supposedly protected from the English pirate, Henry Morgan: The Panamanians had advance notice that Morgan was coming. They painted their golden altar so that the gold in the altar would not be obvious. When Morgan came, he not only didn t steal the ugly altar he left money for the church to get something better!
Brief Historical Note: After gold was discovered in California in 1848, a shortcut was sought across Panama for those who didn t want to travel west across the United States to get to California, or go by ship all the way around the southern tip of South America. The railroad across Panama was looked at again as a viable option. The English and French had considered building a railroad earlier, but neither had ever gone forward with the idea. Since it is only 50 miles across the isthmus, it was thought that the railroad could be built in less than a year, for a mere $1 million. They were wrong. It took 5 years, and cost 20,000 lives, and almost $7 million. Brief Historical Note: The Gatun Lake was the largest man-made lake in the world when it was created for the Panama Canal in 1907 (until it was surpassed in size in 1940). The Gatun Lake was created by damming the Chagres River. The water from the river, and the heavy rainfall nine months of the year, provides the water needed in the locks of the Panama Canal. The Barro Colorado Island is the largest of the islands created from the tops of mountains when the Gatun Lake was made. More than a dozen towns had to be relocated for the lake. When the locals were informed of the planned flooding, they were not happy. One responded: No, the Lord said the earth would be flooded only once. Brief Historical Note: When the Panama Canal was being built, it was a novel idea to use concrete for such an enormous project. The only similarly large project with concrete was the New York Subway which had been recently begun. Since they didn t know for sure how concrete would react over time, they used plenty, making the walls here 55 feet thick!
Brief Historical Note: There have been three generations of mules or locomotives working at the Panama Canal. The black, first generation ones, cost $13,000 each, were made by General Electric, and were used until 1964. Brief Historical Note: Before World War II, work was started to expand the Canal so that the larger Post Panamax ships (now 15-20% of the world s ships) could eventually go through the Canal. With the War, expansion work was halted, and was only recently begun again. It is planned that the expansion will be completed by 2014 the Canal s Centennial. (Post Panamax ships can carry up to 12,500 containers.) The project has a $5.2 billion budget. Brief Historical Note: During World War II American troops were bivouacked here to make sure the Japanese didn t come through and destroy the hydraulic dam. Brief Historical Note: The City of Knowledge replaced the U.S. military at Fort Clayton with the departure of the Americans from the Canal Zone. The City of Knowledge was founded in 1995 and is an international complex, linking science, culture, and business. Brief Historical Note: Operation Just Cause is often referred to as the U.S. Invasion of Panama, but our Panamanian guide insists it was not an invasion since Panama invited the U.S. to intervene.