Final answer:
President Jefferson enacted the Embargo Act of 1807 in response to British and French harassment of American shipping, attempting to avoid war by using economic means to pressure both nations to cease their aggression.
Step-by-step explanation:
President Thomas Jefferson, seeking to protect American ships from the dangers posed by European conflicts, particularly those related to the Napoleonic Wars, took decisive actions to ensure the safety and neutrality of American shipping.
Initially, Jefferson resorted to diplomacy to resolve conflicts with nations such as France and Great Britain, who were seizing American ships and impressing American sailors into service.
When diplomacy failed, Jefferson, determined to avoid warfare, instituted the Embargo Act of 1807. This legislation was intended to exert economic pressure on France and Great Britain by halting all American trade with them, forcing these nations to respect American neutrality and stop their harassment of American ships.
Unfortunately, the strategy backfired, devastating American commerce without significantly affecting European behaviors, leading to widespread economic hardship at home and a loss of political support for Jefferson and his party.