Final answer:
Thomas Jefferson was the key figure behind drafting the Embargo Act of 1807, intended to pressure Great Britain and France economically to respect American neutrality, but it failed and led to significant domestic economic hardship.
Step-by-step explanation:
The person primarily responsible for drafting the Embargo Act of 1807 was President Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson proposed the act as an alternative to going to war and as a means to combat the harassment and abuse of American shipping by Great Britain and France. The hope was that the economic impact on these countries would be severe enough to make them respect American neutrality. However, the Embargo Act had little effect on Great Britain and France, but it caused significant damage to American merchants and the domestic economy, ultimately leading to widespread unpopularity and its repeal in 1809.