Question

Which regions of the U.S. were in favor of the Embargo and which were against it? Why would the regions feel differently about this idea?

a) Northern states were in favor of the Embargo, while southern states were against it due to economic interests.
b) Western states supported the Embargo, while eastern states opposed it for trade reasons.
c) Coastal states were in favor of the Embargo, whereas landlocked states were against it for economic reasons.
d) Midwestern states were in favor of the Embargo, whereas northeastern states were against it due to trade concerns.

Answer 1

The northeastern states were against the Embargo Act of 1807 due to their dependence on trade and the economic downturn that resulted from the embargo. The Southern states had mixed views; the Upper South supported the embargo due to their surplus of slaves, whereas the Lower South was negatively affected by the low tariffs. The Embargo primarily hurt American commerce rather than Britain or France.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question addresses the regional differences in the United States regarding the Embargo Act of 1807. To understand which regions were in favor and which were against the Embargo, we must look at the economic interests of each region. The Northern states, which wanted tariffs to protect their industries from foreign competition, would generally be against the Embargo as it hindered their ability to trade and manufacture. In contrast, the Southern states relied heavily on agriculture rather than manufacturing and were frustrated by the low tariffs that benefited the Northern manufacturing economy.

Notably, the Upper South welcomed a ban on the Atlantic trade as they had a surplus of slaves and a ban would increase the value of their slaves. The Embargo was expected to have a negative economic impact on Britain and France, hoping to stop their harassment of American shipping, but it ended up having a devastating effect on American commerce instead, particularly hurting the Northeast where trade was a significant part of the economy. As a result, the northeastern states were against the Embargo due to their heavy reliance on trade and the subsequent economic downturn.

Answer option (d) Midwestern states were in favor of the Embargo, whereas northeastern states were against it due to trade concerns, seems to best fit the historical context provided, although it should be noted that during the time of the Embargo, 'Midwestern' states as we understand them today did not exist, and the Western frontier was less developed and had different economic concerns compared to the coastal regions.