Orders in Council

Definition

The Orders in Council were decrees made by the British Crown during the Napoleonic Wars to restrict neutral countries' trade with France.

Analogy

Think of it as if you're playing a game of Monopoly, and suddenly one player (Britain) changes the rules so that no one can trade properties with another player (France), affecting everyone else's strategies.

Related terms

Napoleonic Wars: A series of major conflicts pitting the French Empire against several European powers.

Continental System: Napoleon’s policy aimed at damaging Britain’s economy by restricting its trade with other European nations.

Non-Intercourse Act: An American law replacing the Embargo Act of 1807, reopening trade with all nations except Britain and France.