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Britain didn't support slavery - it had abolished it thirty years earlier, in all the British possessions all over the world.

However, Britain was quite pleased to see the USA split into two, partly because it was becoming an economic rival, and partly because some of the older aristocrats still thought the American Revolution had been a bit of cheek.

So Britain was watching the rebellion with interest, to see if it had a chance of succeeding. Then they might offer to mediate the dispute, or if that was refused by Lincoln, perhaps send miliary aid to the Confederates.

It was to prevent this that Lincoln urgently issued the Emancipation Proclamation - to turn it into a war on slavery, so that Britain could not intervene without looking pro-slavery.

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Related Questions

What was the emancimation proclamation?

This was Lincoln's way of turning the war into an official crusade against slavery, so that Britain and France could not support the South without looking pro-slavery themselves.


Why couldn't Britain and France support the South for slavery?

Because they were outbalanced by Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation released after the Union victory at Antietam.


Did the north or the south try to win support from Britain during the civil war?

The South. They came close to achieving it, but after Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, Britain had to stay out of it, for fear of looking pro-slavery.


What was the immidiate effect of the emancipation proclamation?

Britain and France had to give up their plans to support the Confederates - it would have made them look pro-slavery themselves.


How did William Wilberforc try to correct the ills of industrialization?

He lead the fight to abolish slavery, he was the one who ended slavery in Great Britain


What happened in 1863 after president Lincoln issued the emancipation proclamation?

Britain and France had to stay out - they could not support the Confederates without looking pro-slavery themselves.


When did Frederick Douglass travel to Britain to speak against slavery?

The first trip Frederick Douglass took to Britain to speak out against slavery was in 1845. He remained in Britain for about a year and a half.


How did slaves in Britain resist slavery?

Some ways slaves in Britain resisted slavery included escaping, forming rebellions, and seeking legal protection through courts. They also utilized tactics such as sabatoge, feigning illness, and creating secret communities to support each other in resistance efforts.


What year was slavery abolished in great Britain?

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When did British Parliament abolished slavery?

1833 - throughout Britain and all its overseas colonies. This made it ethically impossible for the British to support the Confederates, after Lincoln had turned the Civil War officially into a crusade against slavery with his Emancipation Proclamation.


Why did some slaves escape to Britain?

Some slaves escaped to Britain seeking freedom from slavery, as British law did not enforce the institution of slavery on British soil. Additionally, there were abolitionist movements in Britain that supported the cause of ending slavery. Escaping to Britain offered a chance for a better life and opportunities for former slaves.


Does pro-slavery mean for slavery or against slavery?

Pro-Slavery means that you support the idea of enslaving people.