Embargo Act Of 1807 Research Paper

The Embargo Act of 1807 was an act that prohibited the buying and selling of foreign goods. This act was created by Thomas Jefferson as a way to demand respect from the European power. The intention of this act was put in place to get foreign powers to understand how important America was to their economy. Europe relied on America for supplies during the Napoleonic War, so Jefferson assumed that the loss of America's raw materials would result in Britian and France finally respecting the U.S and its neutrality, and avoid getting into foreign wars as an effect of trading. During the Napoleonic War, America was trading with both France and Britain, and therefore it was difficult to keep its neutrality because of the close contact with the opposing sides. Jefferson viewed the Embargo Act as a way to protect Americans neutrality, and avoid going into war. The Embargo Act of 1807 failed because the big powers had other sources for resources, therefore they had no need to beg America for its raw materials. The Embargo Act increased tension between European powers and America because they were not in favor of
America depending too heavily on trade with other nations, and therefore until the Embargo Act there was no need to diversify their economy. However, farmers and merchants suffered because of the loss of business, which resulted in unemployment. The one positive outcome of the Embargo act was that we came out of it with a stronger and more self sufficient economy because they had to be. Like a baby bird being knocked out of its nest, America was pushed to become fully dependent on itself for trade when Jefferson created the Embargo Act of 1807. Although Jefferson's original goal for the act was for America to remain neutral and not get into a war, many people were angry with his choice and tension with foreign powers still