Non-importation Act

The Non-Importation Act was an act passed by the United States Congress on April 18, 1806, which forbade the importation of certain British goods in an attempt to coerce Great Britain to suspend its impressment of American sailors and to respect American sovereignty and neutrality on the high seas. This was the first attempt of President Thomas Jefferson's administration to respond economically, instead of militarily, to the British actions. The act was suspended, but was quickly replaced by the Embargo Act of 1807, which imposed more trade restrictions with Britain, as well as with France. Another definition is an act passed by Congress on March 25, 1806, before the War of 1812, to ban certain imports from Britain. It was an attempt to counter British violations of neutrality and to compel Britain to accept American demands. Upon approval, use of the act was suspended until November 15 to allow for a British response to the threat of losing its American market.

The Non-Important Act failed due to the past boycotts that American had had against Britain in the pre-revolutionary times. Since the British were fighting Napoleon, who wished to rule the world, they viewed Americans as fighting for their rights, while Britain was fighting for what was morally correct.

In 1807 Thomas Jefferson implemented the act along with an embargo when Britain attacked the USS Chesapeake.

This act was one of the first acts passed by the United States towards Britain before the War of 1812. Articles such as the Non-intercourse Act (1809) and Embargo Act (1807) were to follow.

References

• Embargo Act of 1807 at Bartleby.com