Moving Panamanian History into the Twenty-first Century: Putting the Belisario Porras Collection On-line

Authors

Caryj Mouritsen Cherry, Brigham Young University
Thomas L. Pearcy, Brigham Young University

Keywords

Panamanian history, Belisario Porras Collection, historical documents, Panama

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

History

Abstract

As we saw in 1997 with the return of Hong Kong to mainland China, great international interest arises over the transferral of ownership rights from one country to another. Attention surged around the history surrounding the British occupation of Hong Kong and the decisions that both Britain and China effected in order to come to this momentous occasion. In the case of Hong Kong, thousands watched and wondered what the result of the transfer to China would mean to their booming, capitalist economy. On December 31, 1999, the Panama Canal will exchange hands and return to Panamanian control. This event will focus the world’s attention on Panama and on the decisions that they will make during this transitional period. If the situation in Hong Kong is any indicator, historians will have a renewed interest in the history of Panama during the construction of the canal and the many decisions that played a role in its development. The world will be watching to see how the transition is made as the U.S. government closes its military bases and how the Panamanians handle the situation.

Recommended Citation

Cherry, Caryj Mouritsen and Pearcy, Thomas L. (2014) "Moving Panamanian History into the Twenty-first Century: Putting the Belisario Porras Collection On-line," Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2014: Iss. 1, Article 246.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2014/iss1/246