The United States took over, and began, construction of the Panama Canal. Then, a little over ten years later, it was completed and for the first time ships could travel between the mid-Atlantic and mid-Pacific from at least 10 days, and typically two to three weeks (depending on how fast the ship was and the weather) to less than a day, as it saves ships a 7,872 mile voyage.

It revolutionized ocean freight and although we now take it for granted, it was a historic achievement.