France started trying to build the Canal in 1881, but stopped due to engineering problems and a high worker mortality rate (due, among other things, to tropical diseases). When the US took control, Panama was under control of Colombia. Colombia did not give it permission for the US to build, so Teddy Roosevelt supported the Panamanian rebels who were seeking independence, even going so far as to block Colombian troops as they were trying to get into Panama to suppress the rebel movements. In 1903, Panama declared its independence and granted the US the rights to the Canal Zone shortly thereafter.

Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and South Korea are collectively called the “Asian Tigers” for their rapid economic growth during the second-half of the twentieth century.

Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and South Korea are collectively called the “Asian Tigers” because they have experienced high rates of economic growth throughout the second-half of the twentieth century. These countries were able to achieve rapid economic growth through a series of measures. They all encouraged competition between different businesses and countries; Hong Kong and Singapore became global centers of international finance; Taiwan and South Korea became global centers of information technology. In the twenty-first century all four nations have strong economies, a well-educated population, and are much wealthier than many of their bigger neighbors.

The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade first came into effect in 1948. It was an agreement between more than twenty different countries to try and reduce obstacles to free trade and limit tariffs. It subsequently grew over the course of the twentieth century until 1994 when it had a membership of 123 countries. In 1994 the member countries signed an agreement to grow the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade into the World Trade Organization.

The Suez Canal is located in the Middle East and has led to many disagreements in the area. For example, the Suez Canal Crisis involved the dispute over its usage between Egypt, Israel, Great Britain, and France. It took international involvement to help temporarily resolve these disagreements.

The Marshall Plan was enacted in 1948 and was designed to rebuild the economies of post-war Western Europe to prevent the spread of communism. It also involved the removal of trade barriers and the restructuring of European industry.

Theodore Roosevelt was the first US President to utilize anti-trust law to help breakup large companies in the United States. He brought more than 40 antitrust suits to some of America's largest companies, including US Steel and Standard Oil.

The Panama Canal was finished in 1914, and from that date until 1999 it was owned and operated by the government of the United States.

The Truman Doctrine was an American foreign policy implemented by President Truman in 1947. Its stated goal was to stop the spread of communism and prevent Soviet hegemony. The doctrine was solidified in 1948 with America giving significant financial aid to Greece and Turkey to discourage the spread of communism in these countries. The Marshall Plan, similarly, was designed to prevent the spread of communism in Europe by providing aid to help rebuild European economies.

Japan’s Twenty-One Demands of China essentially guaranteed Japan would have access to and control over Chinese markets and the Chinese economy. Britain and the United States opposed these demands and feared that Japan would interfere with British and American trading interests and spheres of influence in mainland China.