Final answer:
Jefferson responded to the 1807 British attack on the USS Chesapeake with the Embargo Act of 1807, aiming to pressure Britain and France economically rather than engaging in war. The act failed to change their policies but damaged U.S. commerce, leading to its repeal and contributing to the prelude to the War of 1812.
Step-by-step explanation:
In response to the British attack on the USS Chesapeake in 1807, President Thomas Jefferson chose to avoid military conflict and instead implemented the Embargo Act of 1807. Despite calls for war from the outraged American public after British transgressions, Jefferson sought to affect change through economic pressure rather than military might. While the Embargo Act aimed to coerce Britain and France into respecting American neutrality by creating economic hardship for them, it, unfortunately, had little effect on their policies and significantly harmed American commerce and public sentiment towards Jefferson's administration.
Jefferson's decision to avoid a military conflict stemmed from his desire for diplomacy and peace. The incident further escalated tensions between the U.S., Britain, and France, leading to continued strife and the eventual repeal of the Embargo Act due to its ineffectiveness and unpopularity. These foreign policy challenges, however, set the stage for Jefferson's successor, James Madison, and played a part in the buildup to the War of 1812.