Embargo Act

Definition

The Embargo Act was a law passed by the U.S. Congress and signed by President Thomas Jefferson in December 1807. It prohibited American ships from trading with foreign ports, aiming to force Britain and France to respect American neutrality during the Napoleonic Wars.

Related terms

War of 1812: A conflict fought between the United States and Great Britain over British violations of U.S. maritime rights.

Non-Intercourse Act: This act replaced the Embargo Act in 1809, reopening trade with all nations except Britain and France until they ceased violating US neutral rights.

Napoleonic Wars: A series of major conflicts pitting the French Empire against a fluctuating array of European powers formed into various coalitions between 1803 and 1815.