Question

Why did Thomas Jefferson order the embargo against Great Britain in 1807?

to prevent the British impressment of American sailors

to help American merchants reexport goods to France

to force the British to resume trade with the United States

Answer 1

[AI-generated answer — Bot GPT 3.5]

The main reason why Thomas Jefferson ordered the embargo against Great Britain in 1807 was to prevent the British impressment of American sailors. British Navy ships were frequently stopping American merchant ships and forcibly drafting American sailors into their Navy, which was known as impressment. Jefferson believed that the embargo could put economic pressure on Britain and force them to stop this practice. Although he also hoped that the embargo would help American merchants reexport goods to France and ultimately force the British to resume trade with the United States, the main motivation behind the embargo was to protect American sailors.