美国学生历史 第103期:1812年战争的原因(3)

 　　250. The Embargo¹, 1807-1809. 250．封港令（1807~1809年）

　　Jefferson hardly knew what to do. He might declare war on both Great Britain and on France. 杰斐逊几乎不知道该怎么办，他可以向英国和法国宣战，

　　But to do that would surely put a speedy end to all American commerce. 但是，这样无疑会加速所有美国商业的灭亡。

　　In the old days, before the Revolutionary War, the colonists² had more than once brought the British to terms by refusing to buy their goods. 过去，在革命战争之前，殖民地居民曾经以拒绝购买英国的货物抗拒英国人，

　　Jefferson now thought that if the people of the United States should refuse to trade with the British and the French, the governments both of Great Britain and of France would be forced to treat American commerce properly. 此时，杰斐逊认为如果美国人拒绝与英国人和法国人做生意，这两个国家的政府将被迫以合适的方式来对待和美国的贸易。

　　Congress therefore passed an Embargo Act. 因此，国会通过一部《封港令法案》，

　　This forbade vessels³ to leave American ports after a certain day. 按照这个法案，再过一段时间就不再允许美国的船只离开美国的港口。

　　If the people had been united, the embargo might have done what Jefferson expected it would do. 如果美国人团结，这个封港令的执行可能达到杰斐逊所预想的目的，

　　But the people were not united. 但是，当时的人们不团结，

　　Especially in New England, the shipowners tried in every way to break the law. 特别是新英格兰的船主们想尽千方百计来违反这项法律，

　　This led to the passing of stricter laws. Finally the New Englanders even talked of seceding⁴ from the Union. 这种情况导致国会通过更为严格的法律，最终，新英格兰人竟然提出脱离联邦。

1 embargo   

n.禁运（令）；vt.对...实行禁运，禁止（通商）

参考例句：

• This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
• During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间，他们禁止与敌国通商。

2 colonists   

n.殖民地开拓者，移民，殖民地居民( colonist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Colonists from Europe populated many parts of the Americas. 欧洲的殖民者移居到了美洲的许多地方。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Some of the early colonists were cruel to the native population. 有些早期移居殖民地的人对当地居民很残忍。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 seceding   

v.脱离，退出( secede的现在分词 )

参考例句：