Demolition, disease, and death: Building the Panama Canal

In the 19th century, the California gold rush brought thousands of settlers to America's west coast. But finding gold may have been easier than transporting it back east. The only hope for avoiding a grueling six month wagon journey was to travel the narrowest portion of the continent — the 48-kilometer Isthmus of Panama. Alex Gendler details the creation of the Panama Canal. [Directed by Cabong Studios, narrated by Addison Anderson, music by Cem Misirlioglu, Amit Peled].