3 New Threats from Overseas

3 New Threats From Overseas Reading Focus Key Terms • What were the benefits and risks of overseas tribute trade? impressment • How did the British and French violate the embargo neutrality of American ships? Embargo Act smuggling • Why did Jefferson decide to impose an embargo? Non intercourse Act fiain Idea As Great Britain went to war against France, �both sides ignored the claim of the United States that American ships were neutral. Setting the Scene It was along the coast of India that Jacob Nagle saw his chance to escape. An American sailor, Nagle had been forced to work on a British ship. He and three shipmates jumped into a small boat and rowed away as fast as they could. The surf and wind made it difficult to reach shore before dark. Finally, Nagle and his mates rowed to another ship instead. Unfortunately, officers from their own ship were lying in wait. "Not suspecting, we asked for some water," Nagle later recalled: ,, The captain said if we would come up, he would give us some [drink] .... As soon as we got on the quarter � British seize deck they all surrounded us and the second mate � American sailors clapped a pistol to my breast. 'If you move an inch, I will >How do you think the United States will respond to reports blow your brains out.' ,, ·of American sailors being forced -Jacob Nagle, The Nagle Journal:A Diary of the Life of Jacob Nagle, to serve on British ships? Sailor, From the Year 1775 to 1841 In the early 1800s, the British navy forced thousands of American sailors to serve on their ships. This was only one of many dangers that Americans faced as their sea trade began to thrive. Trading Around the World After the Revolution, American overseas trade grew rapidly. Ships sailed from New England on voyages that sometimes lasted three years. Yankee Traders Wherever they went, Yankee captains kept a sharp lookout for new goods and new markets. Clever traders sawed winter ice from New England ponds into blocks, packed it in sawdust, and carried it to India. There, they traded the ice for silk and spices. In 1784, the Empress of China became the first American ship to trade with China. New England merchants quickly built up a profitable China trade. More than 10 years before Lewis and Clark, Yankee merchants sailed up the Pacific coast of North America. So many traders from Boston visited the Pacific Northwest that Indians there called every white man "Boston." Traders bought furs from Native Americans and sold them for large profits in China. Conflict With the Barbary States Traders ran great risks, especially in the Mediterranean Sea. Pirates from the Barbary States, the nations along the coast of North Africa, attacked passing vessels. To protect American ships, the United States paid a yearly tribute, or bribe, to rulers of Barbary States such as Tripoli. In 1801, Tripoli increased its demands. When Jefferson refused to pay, Tripoli declared war on the United States. Jefferson then ordered the navy to blockade the port of Tripoli. During the blockade, the American ship Philadelphia ran aground near Tripoli. Pirates boarded the ship and hauled the crew off to prison. The pirates planned to use the Philadelphia to attack other ships. To prevent this, American naval officer Stephen Decatur and his crew quietly sailed into Tripoli harbor by night. They then set the captured American ship on fire. In the meantime,American marines landed on the coast of North Africa. They marched 500 miles to launch a surprise attack on Tripoli. In 1805, the ruler of Tripoli signed a treaty promising not to interfere with American ships. American Neutrality Is Violated American ships faced another problem. Britain and France went to war again in 1803. At first, Americans profited from the conflict. British and French ships were too busy fighting to engage in trade. American merchants eagerly traded with both sides. As profits increased, Americans hurried to build new ships. Neither Britain nor France wanted the United States to sell supplies to its enemy. As in the 1790s, they ignored American claims of neutrality. Napoleon seized American ships bound for England. At the same time, the British stopped Yankee traders on their way to France. Between 1805 and 1807, hundreds of American ships were captured. Needing more sailors, the British navy stepped up impressment, the practice of forcing people into service. In Britain, impressment gangs raided English villages and took young men to serve in the navy. On the seas, British ships stopped American vessels, seizing any British sailors serving on American ships. Many American-born sailors were also impressed. Furious Americans clamored for war. Jefferson Tries an Embargo Jefferson knew that the small American fleet was no match for the powerful British navy. Like Washington and Adams, he sought to avoid war. A Total Ban Jefferson hoped that an American embargo, or ban on trade, would hurt France and Britain by cutting off needed supplies. "Our trade is the most powerful weapon we can use in our defense," one Republican newspaper wrote. In 1807, Jefferson persuaded Congress to impose a total embargo on foreign trade. The Embargo Act did hurt Britain and France. But it hurt Americans even more. Supplies of imports such as sugar, tea, and molasses were cut off. Exports dropped by more than $80 million in one year. Docks in the South were piled high with cotton and tobacco. The Embargo Act hurt New England merchants most of all. Merchants protested loudly against the embargo. Some turned to smuggling, importing or exporting goods in violation of trade laws. Jefferson began using the navy and federal troops to enforce the embargo. On the border between New York and Canada, some smugglers engaged in skirmishes with federal troops. American Studies Mr. Carlson Name _______________________________________________ Period _____ A Limited Ban In 1809, Jefferson admitted that the Embargo Act had failed. Congress replaced it with the milder Nonintercourse Act. It allowed Americans to carry on trade with all nations except Britain and France. The embargo was the most unpopular measure of Jefferson's presidency. Still, Republicans remained strong. Following President Washington's precedent, Jefferson refused to run for a third term. Republican James Madison easily won the 1808 presidential election. Madison hoped that Britain and France would soon agree to respect American neutrality. 1. How did increased overseas trade lead to conflict with the Barbary States? United States Exports, 1800-1812 120-r-----T""----r------r----r------r-� Ill -0 60 Ill .2 2. Why did Britain and France begin to seize :§ 40 American ships after 1803? O+--___,,_ __ ...__ _ ___._ __ ...___....:,_..:.___j 1 800 1802 1 804 1806 1808 1 810 181 � Year Source: Historical Statistics of the United Stat(!s 5. (al What was the goal of the Embargo Act? (bl Why did it fail? American Studies Mr. Carlson Chapter 12 Identifications Washington’s Neutrality Proclamation – Jay’s Treaty – The Barbary States (Pirates) – The Embargo Act – .

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