Problems With The Embargo Acts Of 1807

151 Words1 Pages
15) Thomas Jefferson believed that if America cut off trade with other countries, then those countries would cooperate with American demands. A problem with this, was when he used American trade to get the French and English to meet their demands by cutting off ALL trade with ALL countries. These were called the Embargo Acts of 1807. The Americans were more greatly affected than the French or British because the French and British did not completely rely on America, but the merchants and traders were pretty dependent on trade with the French and British. The Embargo Acts cut the American gross national product by 5% and weakened the economy. Jefferson did this because the French seized American merchant ships that stopped in British ports.