The children of Israel stand at the edge of the Red Sea, the Egyptian army at their backs.

They need to get to the other side. But how? There’s no time to build a bridge. Helicopters haven’t been invented yet. But God has a plan. He splits the sea—and His people walk through on dry ground. (Exodus 14)

Throughout history, people have often found themselves in need to get from place to place. Sometimes, they just need a shortcut. Humans can’t part the sea. But they can often turn an obstacle into a new path. Do you recognize these people-made trade routes?

The Silk Road. This ancient road network started in Asia. It stretched along the Great Wall of China, alongside the Taklamakan Desert, and over the Pamir Mountains. It crossed Afghanistan and eventually ended at the Mediterranean Sea. Goods and ideas passed across these 4,000 miles.

The Panama Canal. A canal is a huge, water-filled ditch. Ships pass through it. A French engineer named Ferdinand de Lesseps engineered the Suez Canal. Next, he worked on the Panama Canal. That project failed, but the United States later picked it up. The canal crosses a narrow strip of land in Panama to connect the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Voila! The journey is now 8,000 miles shorter.

The Northwest Passage also connects Atlantic to Pacific . . . but it’s a lot chillier than the Panama Canal. Year-round sea ice makes this passage through the Canadian Arctic often impassible. But it’s a great shortcut for ships when they can get through. It shortens routes from Europe to Asia by 2,500 miles.