1889 Yellow fever interrupts the building of Panama Canal
1903 The Hay-Herran Treaty, granting the United States the right to build the Panama Canal, is ratified by the United States Senate. The Colombian Senate would later reject the treaty.
1904 For $10 million the United States gains control of the Panama Canal Zone.
1906 US President Theodore Roosevelt leaves for a trip to Panama to inspect the construction progress of the Panama Canal (this was the first time a sitting President of the United States made an official trip outside of the United States).
1913 US President Woodrow Wilson triggers the explosion of the Gamboa Dike thus ending construction on the Panama Canal.
1914 USA and Panama sign the Panama Canal Treaty
1914 The Panama Canal opens to traffi
1931 Panama Canal closed for couple of weeks due to damage caused by a number of earthquakes
1964 In the wake of deadly riots in January over control of the Panama Canal, the U.S. offers to negotiate a new canal treaty.
1977 Treaties between Panama and the United States on the status of the Panama Canal are signed. The U.S. agrees to transfer control of the canal to Panama at the end of the 20th century.
1978 The U.S. Senate votes 68-32 to turn the Panama Canal over to Panamanian control on December 31, 1999.