The Embargo Act of 1807 To protest the seizure of American ships and the impressment of American sailors, President Thomas Jefferson issued an Embargo Act in 1807, forbidding Americans to trade with any foreign ports. He hoped that the loss of trade would hurt Britain and force them to treat Americans with more respect. Although the loss of American trade did hurt Great Britain, it hurt the American merchants much more. So the Embargo Act was repealed, or ended, in 1809. Thomas Jefferson's peaceful attempt to solve the problems had failed.

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