The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland<span> and its </span>empire<span> remained officially neutral throughout the </span>American Civil War<span> (1861–65). It legally recognised the belligerent status of </span>the Confederacy<span>, but never recognized it as a nation and never signed a treaty or exchanged ambassadors. However, the top British officials debated intervention in the first 18 months. Elite opinion tended to favour the Confederacy, while public opinion tended to favour the United States. </span>
Abraham Lincoln won the presidency in 1860 because the pro slavery vote was split between several candidates. He ran against three others. They were Northern Democrat Stephen Douglas, Southern Democrat John C. Breckenridge and Constitutional Union candidate John Bell. Lincoln was the only Republican and the first to win a presidential election.
