How did the Spanish-American War help create support for building the Panama Canal?

During the Spanish-American War, the battleship Oregon had to travel from the Pacific around the southern tip of South America to reach the Caribbean, a long and slow voyage. A canal across Panama would connect the Atlantic and Pacific, letting U.S. ships reach either ocean much faster. So the war strengthened support for building a canal to move U.S. ships quickly to the fighting.

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