Question

Embargo Act of 1807 gets passed. What was the purpose of this act?

a) To encourage trade with Britain
b) To restrict trade with foreign nations
c) To lower taxes on imports
d) To promote international diplomacy

Answer 1

The Embargo Act of 1807 aimed to restrict trade with foreign nations in response to British and French interference with American shipping, but it ultimately harmed the US economy significantly.

Step-by-step explanation:

The purpose of the Embargo Act of 1807 was b) To restrict trade with foreign nations. It was enacted by President Thomas Jefferson as an alternative to war, to harm the economies of Great Britain and France to the point that they would stop their harassment and impressment of American sailors and respect American neutrality. However, the act failed to significantly impact European powers and instead had detrimental effects on American commerce, leading to widespread economic hardship within the United States.

The embargo was particularly damaging to American farmers and merchants, causing a major decline in business activity and increasing unemployment in seaport cities.