Then, the United States stepped in and took over the project in the early 20th century, building the canal from scratch and completing it in 1914. The US controlled the canal for nearly a century, until it was finally handed over to Panama in 1999. It's like, can you imagine having a giant canal in your backyard, and someone else gets to control it? Yeah, that was a big deal for Panama.
The Panama Canal Treaty was signed in 1977, which meant that the US would eventually hand over control of the canal to Panama. But, it wasn't all smooth sailing - there were protests, debates, and even a few coups in Panama along the way. The treaty was a major diplomatic achievement, and it marked a new era in US-Panama relations.
