Why the USA seek permission from colombia before building panama canal?

Question

Why the USA seek permission from colombia before building panama canal?

Answer 1

Because at the time the canal was constructed, Panama was not an independent country...it was a part of Colombia.

Answer 2

Because in that time, Panama belonged to Colombia. Colombia said no, so Panama people wanted  the independence from Colombia, and the US helped Panama to get it..that way, Panama could build the panama canal with the US help. After that, US gave 38 millions USD(i think) to Colombia..

Colombia is passion

Answer 3

PEOPLE PLEASE WHERE DID YOU ALL GET THIS WRONG ANSWERS, and worse, THE QUESTION IS WRONG TOO.

Number One, USA never seeked Permission from COLOMBIA

Number TWo, The Canal TALks and Ideas started After 1903 when Panama was already an Independent country

Number tree, the canal was not constructed when Panama was PArt of Colombia...

Please I suggest that you research on your questions and answers before you post them, they are an insult to the panamanian people.

Thank you

Answer 4

At the time Panama was part of Columbia. The Panamanians were encouraged to revolt and break away from Columbia when the Colombians balked at allowing the US to build the canal.

It is thought that they wanted more money and the US didn't want to pay it, it was cheaper to back the rebels.

Answer 5

because at the time, panama belonged to colombia, they were going through a war trying to gain their independence.  Therefore, legally the US needed Colombia's permission.

Answer 6

to see if it would be cheaper to buy the rights from Columbia whose land it was rather than pay for a war to create a new country that would give the rights to us.

Answer 7

Ok lets start at the beginning.

The idea about building a canal through the American Continent has been lurking around from the 14th. Century, when Charles the V from Spain commissioned a study to see if a canal could be built by using two rivers in the Isthmus of Panama.

When the French finished the Suez Canal, and got interested in buidling the Panama Canal, they had to make a treaty with Colombia, because Panama had voluntarily joined Simon Bolivar's Gran Colombia.  Originally Gran Colombia was made up in the territory that today harbors the nations of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama, and the main government was setup in Bogota, Colombia.  Afterward political diferences made Ecuador and Venezuela to leave Gran Colombia.  Colombia then annexed Panama as a Province.  Remember that in the 1800's Colombia was regarded as a "power".

After the French effort failed (twice), the USA got interested in building the canal, especially since they already had built the only transcontinental railroad at that time in Panama.  The USA tried to get a treaty with Colombia, but the Colombian Senate didn't approve the treaty.  This treaty was called the Hay-Herran Treaty (Herran-Hay if you read it in Spanish).  

With the denial of the Colombian Senate, the French representative of the French Canal Building Company convinced the Panamanian Local Leaders to allow him to represent them in Washington DC, in order to negotiate a treaty to guarantee Panama's independence, and to build a Canal with favorable conditions to Panama.

Mr. Phillipe Buneu-Varilla then appointed as Panama's Representative in Washington negotiated a treaty known as the Hay-Buneu Varilla treaty guaranteeing Panama's independence, and allowing the US to build the Canal in Panama.  This granted the right to build and operate the canal for perpetuity.  This was changed in 1977 with the Carter-Torrijos Treaty, returning the Canal to Panma on December 31, 1999 at noon.

Afterwards the US Government had to settle with the Colombian Government for damages, and they gave around 30 million dollars to Colombia as damages for allowing Panama to gain independence.

I think this will answer your question.  Try to google the Hay - Herran treaty of 1902 or 1903 for more info as to why the Colombian Senate didn't approve the treaty.

Good Luck