Question

One reason why president Theodore Roosevelt wanted the United States to build the Panama Canal was to?

Answer 1

First off, a canal was a huge business boon to the US. Most Americans lived on the east coast, but huge opportunities existed on the west. The naval trip around the southern tip of South America added 8,000 miles to a trip.  By creating a canal, the US could control the flow of goods and services between the hemispheres.  This was critical to TR's vision of the US as a world power.

Answer 2

One reason why President Theodore Roosevelt wanted to build the Panama Canal was to help build a strong alliance between the many nations in the Pacific and in the Caribbean.