Water has been used in transportation for thousands of years. Mechanisms to transport water for drinking and irragation have been used in ancient times, in Africa, the Middle East, China, and Rome. By 400 BC. China was the first civilization to construct large scale canals, equipped with locks to allow for transportation of ships. Since then, many canals have been constructed across the globe, to make maritime transportation more efficient.
The Panama Canal was constructed in the early 20th century, linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Previously, ships whining to travel from the Atlantic to the Pacific had to sail around the southern tip of South America. The Panama Canal shortened this route by several thousand miles. The United States of America maintained control of the canal for the entirety of the 20th century, but ceded control of the canal to Panama in 2000. A canal connecting the Mediterranean and Red Seas has been desired by many over the course of history. Rudimentary canals were constructed by the Persians and Egyptians in Ancient times. In the late 19th century, the modern Suez Canal was constructed. The canal shortened travel distance from India to Europe by over 4,000 miles. For the entirety of it's modern existence, the Suez Canal has been controlled by Egypt. Throughout history, merchants have used water to transport goods efficiently over great distances. Oceans, rivers, and canals are all integral to the process of transportation. The Arabs maintained the largest international trade network in ancient times. Their use of maritime trading cemented their position as the worlds number one economic power from the 7th to 13th century AD. In the 15th century, Europe's desire to develop new sea trade routes led to the age of discovery. In the next several centuries, ships were used to transport goods and supplies between European nations and their colonies in the Americas. German attempts to interfere with American sea trade routes with England are often credited as a primary reason the United States entered World War One. |