Question

Why was a canal in Central America so important for the United States?

Answer 1

Cutting out thousands of sea miles to get from the East Coast to the West

Explanation:

Prior to the Panama Canal vessels going from the East to West coast had to travel all the way down South America and Round Cape Horn (infamous for atrocious weather and storms) then all the way back up the West coast of South America

If the days when steamships used coal that also meant needing access to coaling stations at intervals to refuel ships

That meant that for the US Navy to build a Navy it would essentially have to build two distinct navies a Pacific one and an Atlantic one which is very expensive and wasteful in resources

The Panama Canal not only liberated Trade but allowed the US to transfer Naval Units between coasts with relative ease