Shortly after winning its independence, the young United States found itself caught in a giant storm. Across the Atlantic Ocean, Great Britain and France were locked in a massive, bitter war. The United States tried to remain neutral so it could trade with both sides. However, neither European superpower wanted the other to receive American goods.

To choke off French supplies, British warships began stopping American merchant ships on the open ocean. But the British did not just steal cargo. They also began capturing American sailors and forcing them to work on British military ships. This terrifying process was called impressment.

This behavior deeply angered the United States. Having recently won the Revolutionary War, Americans felt they had earned the right to sail freely without foreign interference. Instead, the young nation was now struggling to protect its own citizens on the high seas.

Let's see if you can identify this offensive British practice.