Final answer:
The Panama Canal was completed and opened to sea-going traffic in 1914, marking an important engineering feat that impacted world trade and military defense patterns.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Panama Canal was finally completed and opened to sea-going traffic in 1914. The canal is a fifty-mile waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, crossing the nation of Panama. Its completion marked an important engineering feat that shortened the journey for cargo between the oceans and had a significant impact on world trade and military defense patterns.