Impressment

Definition

Impressment refers to the practice of forcibly conscripting men into military service, particularly into the naval forces of a country. It was a controversial policy used by the British Royal Navy during the 18th and early 19th centuries to maintain adequate crew levels for their ships.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The British Royal Navy relied heavily on impressment to maintain adequate crew levels for their ships, particularly during times of war and naval expansion.
2. Impressment was a major source of tension between the United States and Great Britain in the early 19th century, as the British would often impress American sailors into their naval service.
3. The practice of impressment was seen as a violation of American sovereignty and personal liberty, and was one of the key factors that led to the War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain.
4. Impressment allowed the British to rapidly increase the size of their naval forces, but it also alienated many American citizens and contributed to the growing resentment towards British colonial rule.
5. The end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 and the subsequent decline in the British Navy's need for manpower eventually led to the abolition of the impressment system.

Review Questions

• Explain how the practice of impressment contributed to the tensions between the United States and Great Britain in the early 19th century.
  • The practice of impressment, where the British Royal Navy would forcibly conscript American sailors into their naval service, was a major source of tension between the United States and Great Britain in the early 19th century. This was seen as a violation of American sovereignty and personal liberty, as the British would often target American merchant ships and impress their crews into service. The resentment towards this practice was a key factor that ultimately led to the outbreak of the War of 1812 between the two nations, as the United States sought to defend the rights of its citizens and assert its independence from British colonial rule.
• Describe the role of impressment in the expansion and maintenance of the British naval forces during the 18th and early 19th centuries.
  • Impressment was a crucial tool used by the British Royal Navy to rapidly increase the size of their naval forces, particularly during times of war and naval expansion. By forcibly conscripting men into service, the British were able to quickly bolster the crews of their ships and maintain adequate manpower levels. This allowed the British to project their naval power and enforce blockades against their enemies, such as during the Napoleonic Wars. However, the reliance on impressment also alienated many American citizens and contributed to the growing resentment towards British colonial rule, ultimately leading to the outbreak of the War of 1812.
• Analyze the long-term consequences of the abolition of the impressment system by the British Royal Navy following the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815.
  • The abolition of the impressment system by the British Royal Navy following the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 had significant long-term consequences. Without the ability to rapidly expand their naval forces through forced conscription, the British were forced to rely more on voluntary enlistment and other recruitment methods to maintain the size of their fleet. This shift away from impressment helped to improve relations between the United States and Great Britain, as the practice was no longer a source of tension and resentment. Additionally, the end of impressment contributed to the gradual decline of the British Empire's naval dominance, as they were no longer able to quickly mobilize large numbers of sailors as they had in the past. This paved the way for the rise of other naval powers, such as the United States, and the eventual shift towards a more global balance of power in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Related terms

Conscription:

The compulsory enlistment of people into a national service, typically a military service.

Naval Blockade: The act of isolating an enemy in their ports by means of a naval force to prevent supplies, reinforcements or trade from reaching them.

Embargo Act:

A law passed by the U.S. Congress in 1807 that prohibited American ships from trading with Great Britain or France, in an attempt to remain neutral during the Napoleonic Wars.