Before Roosevelt had become president they had already been working on the Panama Canal. The idea had started with Ferdinand de Lesseps, builder of the Suez Canal, who led the project. His plan
called for a sea-level canal to be dug along the path of the Panama Railroad. Although hard work and steady progress was made, the Compagnie Universelle du Canal Interocéanique failed in December,1888, with
thousands of French investors losing their money. This was not the only attempt for the desire to improve and increase travel along with trade in the western hemisphere. Shortly after ascending to the presidency, Roosevelt spoke of the Panama Canal
in a speech to congress. He acted quickly in 1902 by reaching an agreement to buy rights to the French canal property and equipment. The U.S. then tried to negotiate a Panama treaty with Columbia which was not directly given. When Colombia grew reticent in its negotiations, Roosevelt and Panamanian
business interests collaborated on a revolution. There was a battle for Panama that lasted very short that ended in Panama gaining its independence. Right away, the U.S. began purchasing a canal zone and rights to build. The Americans' first year in Panama, mirrored the French disaster. Everything was unorganized and there was not a distinct plan. It was a wasteful year in terms of money spent but the Americans' learned what needed to be done. They began by recruiting a new chief (John Stevens) who had a plan to save the canal. . In November, 1906, Roosevelt himself visited the canal, posing at the controls
of a Bucyrus shovel.