In 1879, an international congress in Paris decided to build a canal through Panama to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. At the head of this ambitious project was Ferdinand de Lesseps, the man who had previously overseen the successful construction of the Suez Canal, which linked the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. Inspired by his earlier achievement, he founded the Universal Company of the Intercontinental Canal of Panama, aiming to replicate the Suez model. The idea was popular among the public, with around 800,000 French people investing over 1.2 billion francs in the project between 1880 and 1888. Construction began on January 20, 1882, with the use of advanced machinery such as steam shovels, locomotives, and dredgers. However, Lesseps made a crucial mistake by trying to apply the same sea-level design used for the Suez Canal to Panama. This approach was not suitable for the region's difficult terrain and hot, humid climate. The dense jungle, heavy rainfall, and the powerful Chagres River, which could swell into a dangerous flood, created major obstacles for the workers and engineers. Despite early challenges, the company eventually switched to a lock canal design, using the waters of the Chagres and Grande rivers to create artificial lakes connected by a series of locks. However, the project continued to face problems, including poor planning and insufficient equipment. The biggest threat, though, was not the environment but the mosquitoes that spread deadly diseases like malaria and yellow fever. At the time, the link between these insects and the illnesses was not well understood, making it difficult to control the outbreaks. The human cost of the project was enormous, with more than 6,000 workers estimated to have died directly from the construction, and some reports suggesting the total death toll could be as high as 20,000. Financial problems and corruption also played a significant role in the project’s failure, with leaders allegedly bribing journalists and politicians to hide the financial troubles and secure additional loans. The Universal Company collapsed in February 1889, leaving hundreds of thousands of French investors ruined. Despite the failure, the French efforts contributed to future success. Lesseps' teams dug approximately 22.6 million cubic yards of earth, and much of the equipment used remained unused for nearly two decades. When the United States took over the project in the early 20th century, they found the French machinery more effective in soft soil than their own new equipment. The Americans also learned from the French mistakes, choosing a lock canal design and implementing measures to control mosquitoes, which helped them complete the Panama Canal successfully in 1914.