Theodore Roosevelt, the first of the two Roosevelts in the White House, was the youngest president to ever be voted into office, taking the oath of office at the age of 42. Roosevelt was known for the numerous diverse activities he involved himself in, and having been one of three presidents to win a Noble Peace Prize while in office.
On this day November 3rd, in 1903, encouraged by Theodore Roosevelt, Panama proclaims its independence from Colombia. The U.S. and Theodore Roosevelt encouraged Panama because it wanted to build the Panama Canal, but were not willing to pay what Colombia was asking for.
Panama had claimed independence from Spain in 1821, but it then became a part of Columbia for the next 82 years. This enabled for the Panama Canal to begin its construction. It was opened in 1914 and carried 1,000 ships a year between the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. By 2008, this same canal had over 140,000 vessels passing through it.