Embargo of 1807 The Embargo of 1807 and the subsequent
Nonintercourse Acts were American laws restricting American
ships from engaging in foreign trade 1807 and 1812. They failed,
and led to the War of 1812 between the U.S. and Britain. Britain
and France were engaged in a life-and-death struggle for control
of Europe, and the small, remote U.S.A. became a pawn in their
game. The Acts were diplomatic responses by presidents Thomas
Jefferson and James Madison designed to protect American
interests and avoid war. They failed, and helped cause the war.
The Acts were bitterly opposed by New England shipping interests
which suffered greatly from them. After a short truce the
European wars resumed and continued until the defeat of Napoleon
in 1814. (He returned for 100 days in 1815 but that had no
bearing on the U.S.) The war caused U.S. relations with both
England and France to deteriorate rapidly. There was grave risk
of war with one or the other. With England supreme on the sea,
and France on the land, the war d