EMBARGO ACT DECEMBER 1807 EMBARGO ACT TRADE TRANSPORTATION U.S GOV'T LEGISLATIVE U.S GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION GLOBAL RELATIONS CONGRESS PASSED THE EMBARGO ACT IN DECEMBER 1807 THE ACT PROHIBITED ALMOST ALL U.S TRADE WITH FOREIGN NATIONS AMERICAN SHIPS COULD NOT LEAVE FOR FOREIGN PORTS AND FOREIGN SHIPS COULD NOT CARRY GOODS OUT OF AMERICAN PORTS EMBARGO ACTS IN 1808 REINFORCED THE EMBARGO PRESIDENT THOMAS JEFFERSON AND CONGRESS SUPPORTED THE EMBARGO AS A PROTEST AGAINST BRITISH AND FRENCH INTERFERENCE WITH AMERICAN SHIPPING DURING THE NAPOLEONIC WARS BOTH BRITAIN AND FRANCE TRIED TO STOP THE UNITED STATES FROM TRADING WITH THEIR ENEMY AND ATTACKED AMERICAN SHIPS THOUGHT TO CARRY WAR SUPPLIES THE BRITISH NAVY ALSO STOPPED AMERICAN SHIPS AND FORCED AMERICAN SAILORS TO JOIN THEIR CREWS BECAUSE THE UNITED STATES LACKED THE MILITARY STRENGTH TO ENFORCE ITS POSITION THE GOVERNMENT DECIDED TO IMPOSE THE EMBARGO HOWEVER THE EMBARGO ACT FAILED TO STOP THE BRITISH OR FRENCH NAVIES AND ITS ECONOMIC IMPACT WAS MINOR INSTEAD THE EMBARGO GREATLY HURT THE U.S ECONOMY AMERICAN EXPORTS DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY AND SMUGGLING INCREASED IN MARCH 1809 CONGRESS PASSED THE ENFORCEMENT ACT WHICH PROVIDED FOR STRICT ENFORCEMENT OF THE EMBARGO AND AUTHORIZED SEVERE PENALTIES FOR AMERICANS CAUGHT SMUGGLING UNDER GREAT PUBLIC PRESSURE CONGRESS REPEALED THE EMBARGO IN 1809 AND REPLACED IT WITH THE NON INTERCOURSE ACT
