What did the neutrality act of 1936 do?

Yes, obviously, it said that we were to remain neutral, but there were actually a series of them - in 1935, '36, '37, and '39. The first imposed an embargo (an order of government prohibiting movement of merchant ships in and out of the country's ports) on arms trading with countries at war, and also warned Americans that they traveled at their own rish on warring ships. The second improved that by prohibiting trade in war materials as well as loans or credits to belligerents (people engaged in warfare or eager to fight). But it didn't cover civil wars or materials like trucks and oil, so many companies used this loophole. The '37 Act(s) was/were in response to the Spanish civil war; it tightened restrictions on US businesses and private individuals assisting belligerents, and prohibited travel by US citizens on ships of belligerents. Finally, the '39 Neutrality Act amended the earlier legislation in recognition of the imminent Nazi threat to western Europe's democracies. It permitted all belligerents to be supplied on a "cash and carry" basis (required buyers to send their own ships to US ports). It also forbid US vessels from entering combat zones, and citizens continued to be barred from sailing on belligerent vessels. (This was amended in November, 1941.)