How did the us acquire canal zone?

The United States acquired the Canal Zone through the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty, which was signed between the United States and Panama on November 18, 1903. The treaty granted the United States in perpetuity the use, occupation, and control of a zone of land 10 miles (16 km) wide for the construction, maintenance, operation, sanitary improvement, and protection of the Panama Canal. In return, the United States agreed to pay Panama $10 million and an annual lease of $250,000. The treaty effectively made Panama a protectorate of the United States, as the latter had the right to intervene in Panama to ensure the security of the canal. The treaty, which remained in place until the Torrijos-Carter Treaties of 1977, has often been a source of contention between the United States and Panama.