Phineas T. Barnum opened the American Museum in New York City in 1841, which provided entertainment and attractions for all types of audiences, from a scale model of Dublin to exotic animals and little people. The museum was an immediate success, drawing large crowds for 27 years. During the Little Ice Age from the 14th to 19th centuries, unusually cold weather caused widespread famine and death in Europe. Scientists believe similar climate changes could happen again due to small fluctuations in global temperatures. The Panama Canal, completed in 1914, provided a crucial shipping route when it opened, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans via locks that were over 1,000 feet long.