In 1909, after three years in panama, ralph budd headed back north to help survey a new line for the legendary railroad tycoon james j. Its value to the american economy and americas political power are inestimable, but the panama canal is also an engineering marvel and practically a miracle when it was built. The voice of ken burns the civil war, historian david. Watch american experience season 23, episode 7 the greely expedition. Millions of television viewers know him as the host of the american experience and as the narrator of numerous pbs documentaries, including the civil war. Start studying american experience panama canal video questions. Dinosaur wars, panama canal gateway to the american. These fascinating tales reveal much about people and events that left their mark on the nation and even the world. It literally required moving mountains, in one of the most challenging environments on earth, breaking the back of. A good example of this is tonights american experience debut, panama canal, an 80minute long trip through the conception and construction of the canal that united the worlds two largest oceans at a point much more advantageous to the worlds shipping traffic than the bottom tip of south america and turned the united states from.
From pbs and american experience on august 15th, 1914, the panama canal opened, connecting the worlds two largest oceans and signaling americas emergence as a. This documentary episode of pbss american experience tells the story of the construction of the panama canal and the beginning of americas race toward global supremacy. But when it was built, at the dawn of the 20th century, it was simply an audacious. He said early on that there are well over 9000 employees for the panama canal, and over of them are women. From pbs and american experience using scientific accounts, diaries, photographs and letters, this film reveals how poor planning, personality clashes, questionable decisions and pure bad luck conspired to turn a noble scientific mission into a human tragedy. The panama canal was the great construction job in the world. At dawn, on may 26, 1934, the gleaming locomotive inched forward. Panama canal, a man, a plan, a canal documentary on august 15th,1914, the panama canal opened, connecting the worlds two largest oceans and signaling americas emergence as a global superpower. The creation of the panama canal, 18701914 by david mccullough. The construction and history of the waterway between the atlantic and pacific oceans by charles river editors 4.
There isnt any such thing as the past american heritage. American ingenuity and innovation had succeeded where, just a few years earlier, the french had failed disastrously. It had a spacious pool deck and plenty of room for sunbeds, it didnt feel cramped like other ships. He won an earphone award and the audiofile best of 2011 in biography and memoir narrator.
The details of the story are given with a personal touch which increases its interest. The highly polished history series from pbs affiliate wgbh, american experience, is beginning 2011 with a number of programs featuring events of american history that have seen little or no airtime on television before. To build the lock canal in panama, the americans would not only have to dam the turbulent chagres and create the largest artificial lake in the world, they also would have to design. Panama canal dvd,on august 15th, 1914, the panama canal opened, connecting the worlds two largest oceans and signaling. I really like one about the panama canal and donner party, which i think were both installments of american experience on pbs. I was determined to get as much construction experience as i could, budd recalled. His english was very good, and he spoke slowly enough for all to understand, especially on the outside speakers. American ingenuity and innovation had succeeded where the french. The panama canal book and the brooklyn bridge book were exciting adventures for me because i got to know those people. Also i found pbss american experience program about the canal on youtube as well, it too is a great video about the canal. In 1914, the panama canal connected the worlds two largest oceans.
For nearly a hundred years, the panama canal has stood for the triumph of technology over nature. American experience is a television program airing on the public broadcasting service pbs in the united states. This american experience film using an extraordinary archive of photographs and footage, interviews with canal workers and firsthand accounts of life in the canal zone, unravels the remarkable story. Panama canal was the costliest undertaking in human history. This american experience film using an extraordinary archive of photographs and footage, interviews with canal workers and firsthand accounts of life in the canal zone, unravels the remarkable story of one of the worlds most significant technological achievements.
From pbs and american experience on august 15th, 1914, the panama canal. One of the advantages is that unlike politicians and military. Hope became reality with the passage of the spooner act of 1902 by the u. The show is produced primarily by wgbhtv, a television station and pbs. The american experience production of the panama canal was up to the standards i have come to expect from this series. Find low everyday prices and buy online for delivery or instore pickup. I remember grandpa telling about the survey work that he did in oregon, right after he left the panama canal. Most are panamanian citizens, but some are also american. Congress, which authorized purchasing the assets of the french company and building a canal, provided that a satisfactory treaty could be negotiated with colombia of which panama was then an integral part.
The panama canal one of the worlds most important waterways, shortening the journey from europe to the west coast of the united states by 20,000 kilometers. Panama canal expansion program update september 20 duration. Fords model t automobile and his fivedollaraday wage ushered in the modern world, earning ford reverence from millions of americans. Chronicles one of the most incredible engineering feats of all time. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle.
This film, using an extraordinary archive of photographs and footage, interviews with canal workers, and firsthand accounts of life in the canal zone, unravels the remarkable story of one of the worlds most significant technological. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Buy american experience, season 23 microsoft store. The program airs documentaries, many of which have won awards, 3 about important or interesting events and people in american history. Using an extraordinary archive of photographs and footage, interviews with canal workers and firsthand accounts of life in the canal zone, american experience. This reflective documentary from the public broadcasting company explores the history of the panama canal, a project completed in 1914, revolutionizing the. Henry ford dvd,henry ford paints a fascinating portrait of a farm boy who rose from obscurity to become the most influential american innovator of the 20th century. David mccullough has been widely acclaimed as a master of the art of narrative history.
The canal route running from the atlantic to the pacific is 80 kilometers long. One of them is matthew parker who also authored the book panama fever which is about the canal construction. An 1881 maritime expedition to document the world of the high arctic runs into adverse conditions that prove to be disas. This 2hour program tells the epic story of one of the great engineering. David mccullough is one of americas most recognizable voices, also the host of pbss american experience for more than a decade and the narrator of the 2003 motion picture seabiscuit. The ship had a narrator on board for the transit and he was very informative and. American experience, originally titled the american experience, is an american television program and a pbs documentary series created by peter mcghee. The documentary highlights the controversial panama canal treaties of 1978, the twodecade.
This american experience film using an extraordinary archive of photographs and footage, interviews with canal workers and firsthand accounts of life in the canal zone. This reflective documentary from the public broadcasting company explores the history of the panama canal, a project completed in 1914, revolutionizing the world of travel, trade, and industry, by allowing ships traveling from one u. Panama canal gateway to the american century docuwiki. Panama canal 2011 out of 4 another wonderful episode in the longrunning series takes a look at the disastrous and eventual remarkable attempt at connecting the atlantic and pacific oceans. Maybe would make a better american experience not a bad book, but i would not rush out to buy it. We had a nice balcony cabin for overlooking the panama canal. Watch panama canal full episode modern marvels history. Then and now, a series that examines the history of some of the countrys biggest diplomatic efforts and. American experience panama canal tv episode 2011 imdb.
From pbs and american experience on august 15th, 1914, the panama canal opened, connecting the worlds two largest oceans and signaling americas emergence as a global superpower. On august 15th, 1914, the panama canal opened, connecting the worlds two largest oceans and signaling americas emergence as a global superpower. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. During that video there are interviews with various people who give some perspective to the canal history. The story of the building of the canal is well told and factual. And it spares seafarers the dangerous trip around cape horn, at the tip of south america. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. History documentary hosted by michael murphy, published by pbs broadcasted as part of pbs american experience series in 2011 english narration cover informationpanama canal was the costliest undertaking in human history.