How did the Embargo Act actually harm the American economy?

Embargo is spaish for taxation: If you were to charge your parents for doing chores they would just decide to do it themselves right? Therefore, if a government begins to charge people for any service provided or for every food that they buy, then people will riot and begin to buy from an outsourcer or just not buy at all, hurting that "water-life" motion of finance and economy that still marks our financial security today!