Why did the United States feel that its neutrality rights were being violated by Britain and France in 1805-1807?

The United States felt its neutrality rights were being violated by France and Britain in 1805-1807 because these warring European powers were actively preventing the US from maintaining its neutral stance and engaging in international trade. Both nations implemented policies and actions that directly interfered with American shipping and sovereignty, making it impossible for the U.S. to trade freely with either side without facing severe repercussions.

During the Napoleonic Wars, both Britain and France sought to cripple each other economically, and in doing so, disregarded the rights of neutral nations like the United States. This led to a series of escalating incidents and decrees that severely impacted American commerce and national pride.

British Violations of U.S. Neutrality

Great Britain, possessing the dominant navy, employed several tactics that infuriated the Americans and directly challenged their neutrality:

• Impressment of American Sailors: The British Royal Navy frequently stopped American ships and forcibly conscripted sailors into their service, claiming they were British deserters. This practice, known as impressment, was a blatant violation of American sovereignty and deeply insulted national pride.
  • Example: The Chesapeake-Leopard Affair of 1807 was a particularly egregious incident where a British warship, HMS Leopard, attacked the USS Chesapeake off the coast of Virginia, killing several American sailors and seizing others.
• Orders in Council (1807): In response to Napoleon's Continental System, Britain issued Orders in Council that declared a blockade of French and allied ports. These orders stipulated that neutral ships could only trade with Europe if they first stopped at British ports to pay a tax and obtain licenses. This essentially forced American ships to become part of the British trading system, undermining their neutrality.
• Seizure of American Ships: British warships routinely seized American merchant vessels suspected of trading with France or its allies. This included enforcing the "Rule of 1756," which stated that trade closed in peacetime could not be opened in wartime. This rule was applied to American ships trading with French Caribbean colonies.

French Violations of U.S. Neutrality

France, under Napoleon Bonaparte, retaliated against Britain with its own set of decrees that similarly violated American neutrality:

• Berlin Decree (1806): This decree initiated Napoleon's "Continental System," declaring the British Isles to be in a state of blockade and prohibiting all trade with Britain. Any ship found trading with Britain or having visited a British port was subject to seizure.
• Milan Decree (1807): Further escalating the economic warfare, the Milan Decree declared that any neutral ship that submitted to British search, paid British duties, or sailed to or from a British port would be considered fair prize and seized by French forces. This put American ships in an impossible situation, as complying with one power's demands meant violating the other's.
• Seizure of American Ships: French privateers and warships actively seized American vessels attempting to trade with Britain or violating the Continental System, often without compensation or due process.

Impact on U.S. Neutrality

These actions from both Britain and France created an untenable situation for the United States. As a neutral trading nation, the U.S. sought to maintain commercial relations with both sides. However, the policies of the belligerents effectively forced American ships to choose sides, facing seizure and confiscation regardless of which nation's demands they attempted to satisfy. This direct interference with American shipping and the violation of its sovereign rights to trade freely were the core reasons why the U.S. felt its neutrality was being utterly disregarded by both European powers.

These continuous violations of neutral shipping and sovereignty ultimately pushed the United States closer to war, culminating in the Embargo Act of 1807 and eventually the War of 1812.

[[U.S. Neutrality Violations]]