USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Impressment of sailors was the practice of Britain’s Royal Navy of sending officers to board American ships, inspect the crew, and seize sailors accused of being deserters from British ships. Incidents of impressment are often cited as one of the causes of the War of 1812.

Detailed explanation-2: -Between 1793 and 1812, the British impressed more than 15, 000 U.S. sailors to supplement their fleet during their Napoleonic Wars with France. By 1812 the United States Government had had enough. On 18 June, the United States declared war on Great Britain, citing, in part, impressment.

Detailed explanation-3: -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. About 10, 000 Americans found themselves impressed into service during the Napoleonic Wars.

Detailed explanation-4: -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-5: -The U.S. Continental Navy also applied a form of impressment during the American War of Independence. The impressment of seamen from American ships caused serious tensions between Britain and the Thirteen Colonies in the years leading up to the Revolutionary War.