Final answer:
The Embargo Act of 1807 was enacted in response to British impressment, attacks on American ships, and disregarding American neutrality, particularly with the incident involving the USS Chesapeake. It aimed to hurt British and French economies but backfired and caused significant economic damage in the U.S.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Embargo Act of 1807 was a direct response to British practices of impressment of American sailors, violations of American neutrality, and provocations such as the attack on the USS Chesapeake. The HMS Leopard, a British warship, fired upon the Chesapeake and bordered the ship to take four sailors, triggering an uproar in the United States. President Thomas Jefferson sought to avoid military conflict and instead sought to employ economic pressure by instituting the embargo, which intended to damage the British and French economies by halting all trade. The embargo had the unexpected side effect of severely harming the U.S. economy, leading to widespread discontent and the eventual repeal of the act in 1809.
Despite the logic that cutting off trade would lead both Britain and France to stop the seizures at sea and respect American neutrality, the embargo had little impact on Britain or France, while American commerce suffered greatly, with business activity declining significantly. The failed Embargo Act influenced American politics, led to economic hardship, and foreshadowed the issues that would escalate into the War of 1812.