How did the construction of the suez canal support nation building or imperialism?

It helped contribute to imperialism because the United States took over construction of the canal from the French. Upon completion, it provided the U.S. with a faster route for its ships to travel.  As a result, it has been a vital interest for the U.S. to keep the canal in their control which is one form of imperialism.  It helped in nation-building because the government of Panama gave full support to the project.