USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -impressment, also called crimping, enforcement of military or naval service on able-bodied but unwilling men through crude and violent methods. Until the early 19th century this practice flourished in port towns throughout the world.

Detailed explanation-2: -Impressment, or “press gang” as it was more commonly known, was recruitment by force. It was a practice that directly affected the U.S. and was even one of the causes of the War of 1812. The British navy consistently suffered manpower shortages due to the low pay and a lack of qualified seamen.

Detailed explanation-3: -The large size of the British Royal Navy in the Age of Sail meant impressment was most commonly associated with Great Britain and Ireland.

Detailed explanation-4: -Impressment was the practice of forcing men to serve in the military against their will. Most often used by the British Navy, impressment often involved violence. Forcing someone to join the military might seem a little extreme, but the British navy used the method for centuries.

Detailed explanation-5: -Because voluntary enlistments could never satisfy the demand for sailors, the British resorted to the use of press gangs to forcibly place men into service. As many as half of all seamen manning the Royal Navy were impressed.