Non-Intercourse Act (1809)

Not to be confused with the Nonintercourse Act regarding trade with Native Americans.

Non-Intercourse Act (1809)

Long title	An Act to interdict the commercial intercourse between the United States and Great Britain and France, and their dependencies; and for other purposes.
Enacted by	the 10th United States Congress
Effective	March 1, 1809
Citations
Public law	10-24
Statutes at Large	2 Stat. 528
Codification
Acts repealed	Non-importation Act
Legislative history
Introduced in the Senate as S. 48 Passed the Senate on February 21, 1809 (21-12) Passed the House on February 27, 1809 (81-40) Signed into law by President Thomas Jefferson on March 1, 1809

Origins of the War of 1812
Chesapeake–Leopard Affair
Orders in Council (1807)
Embargo Act of 1807
Non-Intercourse Act (1809)
Macon's Bill Number 2
Tecumseh's War
Henry letters
War Hawks
Rule of 1756
Monroe–Pinkney Treaty
Little Belt Affair

In the last sixteen days of President Thomas Jefferson's presidency, the Congress replaced the Embargo Act of 1807 with the almost unenforceable Non-Intercourse Act of March 1809. This Act lifted all embargoes on American shipping except for those bound for British or French ports. Its intent was to damage the economies of the United Kingdom and France. Like its predecessor, the Embargo Act, it was mostly ineffective, and contributed to the coming of the War of 1812. In addition, it seriously damaged the economy of the United States. The Non-Intercourse Act was followed by Macon's Bill Number 2. Despite hurting the economy as a whole, the bill did help America begin to industrialize, as no British manufactured goods could be imported, so these goods instead had to be produced domestically.