Which company originally proposed the construction of the Panama Canal?

The construction of the Panama Canal was originally proposed by the French Canal Company, which was founded by Ferdinand de Lesseps, the same engineer who had successfully completed the Suez Canal. The French Company began work on the canal in the 1880s, motivated by the vision of creating a maritime shortcut between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to facilitate international trade and naval movement. However, the project faced numerous challenges, including engineering difficulties, harsh environmental conditions, and high mortality rates among workers due to tropical diseases such as malaria and yellow fever. Ultimately, the French initiative failed to complete the canal, leading to its eventual takeover by the United States in the early 1900s, which successfully completed the construction in 1914. This historical context highlights the significance of the French Canal Company's early efforts in the trajectory of the Panama Canal's development.