Advanced Placement US History (AP US History) Practice Exam

What did the Embargo Act of 1807 aim to achieve?

1. Prohibit all cotton exports

2. Prohibit U.S. ships from trading with European nations

3. Encourage trade with Asia

4. Increase military presence in Europe

The correct answer is: Prohibit U.S. ships from trading with European nations

The Embargo Act of 1807 was designed primarily to prohibit U.S. ships from trading with European nations in order to maintain American neutrality and protect American interests amid ongoing conflicts, particularly between Great Britain and France. The act arose from rising tensions and the interference of British and French naval forces with American merchant shipping. By halting trade with these nations, the U.S. government aimed to avoid entanglement in foreign wars and to compel Britain and France to respect American sovereignty. This policy was intended to exert economic pressure on Britain and France, forcing them to acknowledge U.S. rights as a neutral trading nation. However, while it was conceived as a means of protecting American interests, the embargo ultimately had damaging effects on the U.S. economy, particularly harming American merchants and shipowners more than its intended targets. The other choices suggest different aims that were not part of the Embargo Act's objectives. Prohibiting all cotton exports would not have aligned with the economic interests of American cotton producers at the time, encouraging trade with Asia was not a focus of U.S. policy during that period, and increasing military presence in Europe was not a goal of the legislation, as the act was a diplomatic and economic measure rather than a military one.