Embargo Act was a law passed by Congress in 1807 that began the most famous embargo in United States history. The act prohibited all ships from entering or leaving American ports.
Congress passed the Embargo Act to put pressure mainly on Britain and France, which were fighting a war that also involved most other European nations. The act kept the United States out of the war, but it reduced the large profits American merchants had been making by trading with both sides.
Before 1807, Britain and France had been seizing U.S. merchant ships to prevent each other from obtaining American goods. The British also searched these ships for deserters from the British navy and forced them to return. But the British seized Americans as well and made them serve in the British navy.
In 1807, a British ship attacked the Chesapeake, an American naval vessel, after it refused the British ship’s request to search for deserters. This act of war greatly angered the American public. But instead of asking Congress to declare war, President Thomas Jefferson recommended a general embargo. Congress enacted the measure in December 1807.
The embargo lasted 14 months. It was unpopular in many parts of the nation because it hurt the economy badly. Merchants began smuggling goods and thus weakened the effectiveness of the embargo. In 1809, Congress passed the Non-Intercourse Act. This act canceled the embargo for all nations except Britain and France. Three years later, the United States went to war against Britain.
See also Blockade; Jefferson, Thomas (The embargo); War of 1812.
