This political cartoon relates to today’s feature. Those were the days when profanity was left out! On this date in 1807, Jefferson passed the Embargo Act of 1807. It prohibited trade with Europe. There were issues with Napoleon and Britain. We were trade partners to both countries, so President Jefferson decided this would hurt those countries more than the U.S.
Unfortunately, neither country was impacted. Britain imported necessities and goods from South America, and France had everything it needed. It didn’t prevent war; it merely delayed it. And as you can see from the cartoon, people in the states just ignored it and found ways around it.
For more info:
http://famousdaily.com/history/president-jeffersons-embargo-act.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embargo_Act_of_1807