It was to strike it rich by finding gold or silver.
The purpose of President Roosevelt wanting to build a Canal (which is called the Panama Canal FYI) was to create trade routes to other countries that could have not been reached. The resistance that proponents encountered was poor labor effort, disease, and living conditions during the project.
As an example, I will use Woodrow Wilson to answer this questions:
Do their actions represent appropriate uses of presidential power, or examples of presidents overstepping the authority they were granted by the Constitution?
I believe that Woodrow Wilson used the presidential power in an adequate way, without overstepping the authority that was granted to him by the Constitution. He was able to pass many progressive legislation while following all necessary procedures. He was also a strong leader during the war.
How do you think the framers of the Constitution would respond to the presidency's expanded powers?
Although Wilson enjoyed significant power, I believe that the framers of the Constitution would agree with the statement that such power was necessary during times of war. Moreover, the framers would probably see that there were several instances of Wilson's power being limited by the actions of the other branches of government, such as the fact that he asked Congress for an official declaration of war in 1917, and the fact that he was unable to get the United States to join the League of Nations due to the refusal of the Senate.
In your opinion, do U.S. presidents today have too much power or not enough?
I believe that U.S. presidents today have too much power. Although the basic structure of the government remains the same as in the past, presidents today can exercise power and take actions in ways that were unimaginable in the past. For example, presidents often engage in war without the need for an official declaration of war. Moreover, presidents are able to enter treaties in an easier and faster way than ever before. Finally, presidents enjoy an unprecedented amount of media attention and money, which makes them particularly influential.
