The Founding Fathers wanted to declare that America was an independent nation, and explain why they were declaring it.
Colonial Vulnerability can be seen in the images of
~ wild savages attacking helpless colonists
~ colonists suffering from awful diseases and starvation
~ inhospitable places
The Panama Canal is so important to the US for trade. It greatly decreased the amount of time it took to travel between the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean, thus causing an increase in commerce.
