USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Naval impressment Impressment was vigorously enforced during the naval wars of the 18th century by Acts passed in 1703, 1705, 1740 and 1779. The men pressed into service were usually sailors in the merchant fleets, but might just as often be ordinary apprentices and labourers.

Detailed explanation-2: -People liable to impressment were “eligible men of seafaring habits between the ages of 18 and 55 years". Non-seamen were sometimes impressed as well, though rarely.

Detailed explanation-3: -Press gangs were used by the Royal Navy as a crude and violent method of recruiting seamen into naval service, often against their will. Recruiting sailors purely voluntarily was difficult as the conditions on board ship were poor and serving in the navy, especially at times of war, was very dangerous.

Detailed explanation-4: -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.