ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Postage stamps and postal history of Panama

When we want to send a letter or a package through the mail, we need to put something very special on it called a postage stamp. This stamp tells the people who work at the post office how much money we need to pay for it to be sent to the right place.

Panama is a country in Central America that used to be a part of another country called Colombia. But in 1903, Panama became its own independent country! Ever since then, they have been making their own postage stamps with interesting pictures and designs on them.

The very first postage stamps in Panama were made in 1904, and they had a picture of the country's coat of arms on them. After that, there were many different kinds of stamps made with pictures of important people, famous places, and even animals!

Sometimes, the stamps of Panama have a special meaning. For example, in 1911 they made a stamp with a picture of a famous artist from Panama named Roberto Lewis. And in 1978, they made a stamp to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Panama Canal, which is a very important part of the country's history.

If we look at the postage stamps and postal history of Panama, we can learn about the different things that were important to the people who lived there throughout the years. And even though we might not use as many stamps these days because we can send emails and messages on the computer, they are still a really cool way to learn about history!