1806 U.S. boycotts British goods

The ever-tense relationship between Great Britain and the United States--still smoldering well past the close of the Revolutionary War--took a turn for the worse during the early portion of the nineteenth century. Putatively hoping to locate sailors who had deserted the Royal Navy, the British had taken to impressing American merchant ships. Though the deserters often took refuge on American vessels, the British often simply seized any sailors--deserters or no--who failed to prove their American citizenship. So, on this day in 1806, Congress fired back at England by passing the Nicholson Act (nee the Non-Importation Act), legislation which effectively shut the door on the importation of numerous British goods to America. The legislation blocked the trade of brass, tin, textiles and other items that could either be produced in the States or imported from other countries. The Nicholson Act took effect in December of 1806; but, a mere month later, President Thomas Jefferson lifted the trade blockade in hopes of speeding treaty negotiations with Britain. U.S. Minister James Monroe brokered a deal with Britain, albeit one that did little to spare America's commercial ships. In 1808, the government reinstated the Nicholson Act, though it did little to prevent America and England from sailing into another war.