Sunday, April 18, 2010

Seafaring Sunday: Impressment And Embargo

On this day in 1806 the U.S. Congress, on the urging of President Thomas Jefferson, ratified a ban on the importation of British goods. The embargo was in retaliation for an increase in Royal Navy impressments of U.S. seamen.

The following year, HMS Leopard hailed and boarded USS Chesapeake (shown above), briefly taking U.S. Commodore James Barron prisoner and again impressing a number of Chesapeake's sailors. This incident is considered a precursor to the War of 1812.

2 comments:

  1. Ahoy, Pauline! Oh those wacky British. They certainly left an "impression" on people didn't they, Pirate Queen? Oh well, I guess after we kicked their asses a second time in the war of 1812 they started to figure it out...

    Nice painting too, by the way.

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  2. Ahoy, Timmy! I think the British just had a hard time letting go. Most parents feel that way now and again...

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