Thomas Jefferson and the Embargo Act of 1807

Thomas Jefferson and the Embargo Act of 1807 The Embargo Act of 1807 was an attempt by President Thomas Jefferson and the U.S. Congress to prohibit  American ships from trading in foreign ports. It was intended to punish Britain and France for interfering with American trade while the two major European powers were at war with each other. The embargo was precipitated  primarily by Napoleon Bonapartes 1806 Berlin Decree, which announced that neutral ships carrying British-made goods were subject to seizure by France, thus exposing American ships to attacks by privateers. Then, a year later, sailors from the USS Chesapeake were forced into service  by officers from the British ship HMS Leopard. That was the final straw. Congress passed the Embargo Act in December 1807 and Jefferson signed it into law on December 22, 1807. The president hoped that the act would prevent a war between the United States and Britain. At the same time, Jefferson saw it as a way to keep ships as military resources out of harms way, buy time for the preservation, and signify (after the Chesapeake event) that the U.S. recognized that a war was in the future. Jefferson also saw it as a way to cease non-productive war-profiteering which was undermining the coveted but never achieved goal of American autarky- economic independence from Britain and other economies. Perhaps inevitably, the Embargo Act was also a precursor to the War of 1812. Effects  of the Embargo Economically, the embargo devastated American shipping exports and cost the American economy about 8 percent in decreased gross national product in 1807. With the embargo in place, American exports declined by 75%, and imports declined by 50%- the act did not completely eliminate trade and domestic partners. Before the embargo, exports to the United States reached $108 million. One year later, they were just over $22 million. Yet Britain and France, locked in the Napoleonic Wars, were not greatly damaged by the loss of trade with Americans. So the embargo intended to punish Europes greatest powers instead negatively impacted ordinary Americans. Although the western states in the Union were relatively unaffected, as they had at that point little to trade, other parts of the country were hit hard. Cotton growers in the South lost their British market entirely. Merchants in New England were the hardest hit. In fact, discontent was so widespread there that there was serious talk by local political leaders of seceding from the Union, decades before the  Nullification Crisis  or the  Civil War. Jeffersons Presidency Another result of the embargo was that smuggling increased across the border with Canada, and smuggling by ship also became prevalent. So the law was both ineffective and difficult to enforce. Many of those weaknesses were addressed by a number of amendments and new acts written by Jeffersons Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin (1769–1849), passed by Congress, and signed into law by the president: but the president himself essentially ceased active support on his own after signaling his decision to not seek a third term in office in December 1807. Not only would the embargo taint Jeffersons presidency, making him fairly unpopular by its end, but the economic effects also didnt fully reverse themselves until the end of the War of 1812. End of the Embargo The embargo was repealed by Congress early in 1809, just days before the end of Jeffersons presidency. It was replaced by a less restrictive piece of legislation, the Non-Intercourse Act, which prohibited trade with Britain and France. The newer law was no more successful than the Embargo Act had been, and relations with Britain continued to fray until, three years later, President James Madison obtained a declaration of war from Congress and the War of 1812 began. Sources and Further Reading Frankel, Jeffrey A. The 1807–1809 Embargo against Great Britain. The Journal of Economic History 42.2 (1982): 291–308.Irwin, Douglas A. The Welfare Cost of Autarky: Evidence from the Jeffersonian Trade Embargo, 1807–09. Review of International Economics 13.4 (2005): 631–45.Mannix, Richard. Gallatin, Jefferson, and the Embargo of 1808. Diplomatic History 3.2 (1979): 151–72.Spivak, Burton. Jeffersons English Crisis: Commerce, Embargo, and the Republican Revolution. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1979.

Better writing for nurse managers - Emphasis

Better writing for nurse managers Better writing for nurse managers When most people think of Leonardo da Vinci, they think of him as the artist who painted The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. But da Vinci was also an inventor, an architect, a musician and an engineer. To be successful as a nurse manager, you need to adopt da Vincis Renaissance approach. Aside from your main leadership role, you also need to be a resource allocator, go-between, disturbance handler and innovator. Unfortunately, there is no definitive manual for managing these roles. And being in charge of people, policy and paperwork can sometimes be a case of trial and error. But honing your written communication skills can go a surprisingly long way to making things run more smoothly. For example, it can help you persuade people to see your point of view, clarify complex issues, or simply write instructions that people actually read and follow. Here are seven ways to turn writing into a powerful health-management tool. One Listen carefully to your team to ensure you fully understand their problems and issues. Then brainstorm your response using the headings who?, what?, where?, when?, and why? before you write it. This will help you clarify your main message so that your writing is clear and concise. Be sure to look at all your options and dont just choose the first one that comes to mind. Two If you foresee that an issue will be challenged or youll be questioned for more information, prepare a detailed explanation. Use the Four Ps technique, which stands for: position (where they are now), problem (why they cant stay there), possibilities (where they could go) and proposal (where they should go). Three Avoid playing office politics and dont mislead the reader in any way. Use jargon only if youre certain your readers will understand it. And use the active voice to make your writing more specific. For instance: we are implementing a new shift system is more effective than a new shift system will be implemented. Four Widen the reader audience when necessary, to make sure you address all problems and everyone understands the context. Email is often a good vehicle for this. But beware of copying too many people in on mass emails. And avoid heresay or writing as if youre chatting on the phone: email is a permanent medium covered by the law of libel, so you should write only what you dont mind being broadcast on the 10 oclock news. Five Enlist the help of other departmental services (such as legal and human resources) to review your writing when appropriate. Make sure you write only things you believe in, and that youre willing to be accountable for. Six Ensure facts and figures are as accurate as possible. Even it takes 24 hours to obtain figures you dont have, its worth spending the extra time to ensure you build a reputation for accuracy. (Dont let waiting for the fact hold up the writing process though: just put [To come] in the text and come back to that bit once you have the details.) Seven Finally, coach your staff to become better writers, so that your time as a manager is spent effectively. Theres a host of free online writing resources at emphbootstrap.wpengine.com to help you. If you decide to traing your staff, see our courses for individuals or our courses for groups. Alternatively, send us a message or call one of our friendly advisors on +44 (0)1273 961 810 Good writing may not always come easily at first. But with practice, it can become second nature. And once it does, it may well be the glue that holds your da Vinci set of roles together. Robert Ashton is the Chief Executive of Emphasis.