LINCOLN-DOuGLAS DEBATES-1858
- Occurred before the 1860 elections
- Powerful debate topics discussed
KEY PEOPLE:
-Abraham Lincoln: the Republican nominee for the Senate seat who challenged Douglas to a series of joint debates
-Stephen A. Douglas: one who popularized the issue of popular sovereignty, ran again Lincoln in the 1860 election, and versed Lincoln in a series of debates.
THE WHAT:
- A series of seven debates between Lincoln and Douglas over issues of the day regarding popular sovereignty, slavery, Dred Scott Decision
- The most famous of the debates was held in Freeport, Illinois, where Lincoln spoke of his view on the Dred-Scott decision. Douglas replied with the "Freeport Doctrine" which stated no matter how the Supreme Court ruled, slavery will stay down if the people voted it down.
- Douglas defeated Lincoln for the Senate seat.
THE BIG PICTURE:
- Although Douglas won, his supporters represented a smaller population than Lincoln's supporters so Lincoln won a clear moral victory
- Lincoln's first run in politics/ "Lincoln's rise in politics"
-Even though Lincoln lost, he got national attention and worked with the most prominent Northern politicians.
-Deepened National controversy over slavery
IN RELATION TO ELECTIONS:
- Lincoln emerged as the potential republican nominee for the 1860 elections.
- Douglas, winning in Illinois, actually hurt his own chances of winning the presidency while further splitting his party(Democrats)
RELATION TO CIVIL WAR:
- Douglas opposed Lecompton Constitution for Kansas and defied Supreme Court at Freeport which made southern Democrats angry.
- Southern Democrats became determined to break up the party and the Union rather than accept Douglas.
- The Lincoln- Douglas debate platform proved to be one of the preliminary battlefields of the Civil War.
- Powerful debate topics discussed
KEY PEOPLE:
-Abraham Lincoln: the Republican nominee for the Senate seat who challenged Douglas to a series of joint debates
-Stephen A. Douglas: one who popularized the issue of popular sovereignty, ran again Lincoln in the 1860 election, and versed Lincoln in a series of debates.
THE WHAT:
- A series of seven debates between Lincoln and Douglas over issues of the day regarding popular sovereignty, slavery, Dred Scott Decision
- The most famous of the debates was held in Freeport, Illinois, where Lincoln spoke of his view on the Dred-Scott decision. Douglas replied with the "Freeport Doctrine" which stated no matter how the Supreme Court ruled, slavery will stay down if the people voted it down.
- Douglas defeated Lincoln for the Senate seat.
THE BIG PICTURE:
- Although Douglas won, his supporters represented a smaller population than Lincoln's supporters so Lincoln won a clear moral victory
- Lincoln's first run in politics/ "Lincoln's rise in politics"
-Even though Lincoln lost, he got national attention and worked with the most prominent Northern politicians.
-Deepened National controversy over slavery
IN RELATION TO ELECTIONS:
- Lincoln emerged as the potential republican nominee for the 1860 elections.
- Douglas, winning in Illinois, actually hurt his own chances of winning the presidency while further splitting his party(Democrats)
RELATION TO CIVIL WAR:
- Douglas opposed Lecompton Constitution for Kansas and defied Supreme Court at Freeport which made southern Democrats angry.
- Southern Democrats became determined to break up the party and the Union rather than accept Douglas.
- The Lincoln- Douglas debate platform proved to be one of the preliminary battlefields of the Civil War.