Essay On The Debates Between Abraham Lincoln And Stephen A. Douglas

He was a strong believer in popular sovereignity. Since he felt so strongly about it, he agreed that popular sovereignity would decide whether or not Kansas and Nebraska would be free states or slave states. This decision caused a huge disagreement between the North and South because this would allow slavery north of the Mason-Dixon dividing line created in the Missouri Compromise. The president at the time, Franklin Pierce, supported Douglas’ bill and passed it on May 30th, 1854.

A major issue that caused major sectional discord was the constitutionality of slavery. In the constitution there was no mention of slavery of fears that it would divide the nation,

There have been over 40 presidents in the history of the United States. There have been 43 presidents to be exact. Of these 43 Presidents of the United States, there are only about 15 of whom the average American might know. However, the most famous of these Presidents are George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. These two amazing leaders of our country have shown the world what it really means to be a good example to those who follow them. They are men of honor and made this great nation a beautiful and free place to live. Their love for their country and the steps that they took to becoming amazing and passionate leaders are ideas that we, as citizens of the United States, should be aware of. The childhood, the steps they took to careers

At this time it seemed that the issue of slavery was the only problem in the United States, almost as if a slave was being forced down the throats of the freesoilers (Document F). Stephen Douglas drafted the Kansas-Nebraska Acts in hopes of adding two new states: Kansas and Nebraska. Although it seemed that one would be a slave state, and the other a free state, the slavery issue would be decided by popular sovereignty. Many opposed this decision but did not know how to deal with it. The reason they did not know was because the Constitution did not mention it. William Lloyd Garrison said “the Constitution which subjects them to hopeless bondage is one that we cannot swear to support” (Document E). He was trying to say that the constitution can’t answer the question of slavery because the words “slave” and “slavery” are not in the constitution.

A leading example of the struggles of slavery in the western states was the struggle over slavery in Kansas. Document F depicts a political cartoon basically stating that Stephen Douglas, Franklin Pierce, and James Buchanan all attempted intentionally or unintentionally to spread slavery to the West. Stephen Douglas proposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act in which the Midwest Nebraska territory would be divided into two states Kansas and Nebraska and the issue of slavery would be determined by in state vote known as "popular sovereignty". Franklin Pierce aided with the signing of the bill. The results upon this bill was harsh fighting between pro-slavery supporters and non-slavery supporters in Kansas over this issue. It also led to the non-reelection of Pierce and the end to the Whig party, along with the introduction of the sectional Republican party, who opposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act. An attempt at forcing slavery into

In 1820, a politician by the name of Henry Clay decided to help work out a compromise that would keep the balance the North and South. Clay suggested that Congress should admit Maine as a free state and Missouri as a slave state. The official proposal was passed in March of 1820 and prohibited slavery from any territories in the Louisiana Purchase that was North of 36°30’ latitude. (The American Journey Page 320,437, and 438) Almost thirty years later, a dispute over slavery broke out in Congress because a bill was introduced by Illinois senator Stephen Douglas. Douglas originally wanted to run for president but in order to do that he needed the support of the Southern Democrats. With Douglas trying to win over both northerners and southerners, the Kansas-Nebraska act proclaimed that Kansas and Nebraska territories would have the choice to be a free or slave state. Douglas was basically saying that “they” being Congress would repeal the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and would rely on “popular sovereignty” which is letting the people decide. He figured that because Kansas and Nebraska becoming slave

Douglas takes an amoral stance upon the question of slavery within the union and is indifferent to the spread of it. He invokes a principle of popular sovereignty, allowing the American people to vote upon slavery. Popular sovereignty embraces a state of indifference, which does not spread nor exclude slavery within the union, but rather allows the people to decide and form laws upon it. Lincoln argued,

In May of 1854 the Kansas-Nebraska act bill was passed by the U.S Congress. The bill was introduced by Senator Stephen A. Douglas (Discovering our Past; The History of the United States Early Years p.431 and 432). The bill gives the people of Kansas and Nebraska territory popular sovereignty. Popular sovereignty is letting the people of the Kansas and Nebraska territory choose whether to allow slavery or not. The textbook(Discovering our Past; The History of the United States Early Years p. 432) states that “Douglas hoped to make his plans acceptable to both the North and South. He propose repealing the Missouri Compromise and letting the voters in each territory vote on whether or not to allow slavery” (notes) Kansas with slavery would

In the early 1820’s Missouri wanted to be admitted into the Union. At this time the twenty-two states in America were evenly divided into two groups. The “slave” states whose state constitutions allowed slavery, and the “free” states whose state constitutions did not allow slavery. Each side had eleven states, making the balance between the parties’ power in the Senate equal. Missouri’s state constitution allowed slavery and admitting Missouri to the Union would have given the slave states more power in the Senate. The “free” states were against this happening. Henry Clay

The South had distinctly separate political views. So much so that South Carolina felt the need to secede from the Constitution, which resulted “from the nature of a compact between sovereign parties” (Doc. E). However, the North had different views on such a decision; they did not want South Carolina to leave the Constitution, and they asserted that “in contemplation of universal law and the Constitution, the Union of these States is perpetual” (Doc. F). Other political conflicts, such as the bitter contest between pro-slavery and anti-slavery due to the Kansas-Nebraska Act passed in 1854 -which organized the Kansas-Nebraska territories on the principle of popular sovereignty- (Doc. J); the speech given by Senator Charles Sumner over the Kansas-Nebraska bill in which he attacked pro-slavery men and insulted South Carolina and one of its senators, the well-liked Andrew Butler -to which Preston Brooks responded to by busting into the Senate chambers and beating Sumner with a cane- (Doc. K); the Dredd Scott Decision, in which Dredd Scott, a slave whose owner had taken him from a slave state to the free North, returned to Missouri and sued for his freedom, which set off even more controversy over slavery (Doc. L); and Abraham Lincoln’s speech when accepting the Republican nomination for US Senator in June 16, 1858, in which he stated that the pro-slavery/anti-slavery conflict

     The explosion of the American Civil War was caused by a vast number of conflicting principles and prejudices, fueled by sectional differences, and set afire by a very unfortunate set of political events. Undoubtedly, the central theme of almost all of the events that led up to the Civil War was one way or another, related to the dispute of slavery. Throughout the nineteenth century, slavery-related tensions brewed to such an extent, that politicians often took accustom to avoiding the hot topic altogether, because they were too scared of either starting a big political feud, or losing votes from one side of the issue or the other. More specifically, three events that were most instrumental in

Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas were the Democratic and Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate in Illinois. Their debates are admittedly the most famous political debates in American history. The biggest topic of debate during this time was slavery, therefore Lincoln and Douglas not only differed in their views on slavery, but also attempted to discredit the other candidate’s views by bringing up past speeches. Slavery was not the only topic during these debates, there were also debates on equality and state power over slavery.

Many Northerners were infuriated when Congress eliminated the Missouri Compromise and passed on the Kansas-Nebraska Act. The act allowed each territory to settle the issue of slavery based on popular sovereignty (The Kansas-Nebraska). In other words, people were allowed to decide for themselves to determine what was best for their state. By repealing the Missouri Compromise, the North fear that it will enable slavery into areas that have been free for years. However, once Congress passed the law, numerous of pro-slavery and antislavery groups began rushing into Kansas(Chapter 15, 443). Their primary goal was to get in as many votes as possible which will determine if Kansas legislature support or ban slavery. In the final results, Kansas laws

Lincoln made the decision not to soften his party’s position on the territories. Lincoln wrote of the necessity of maintaining the bond of faith between voter and candidate and “of declining to set “the minority over the majority”. Although many conservatives Republicans, eastern businessmen, and former Whigs were adamant to stop the expansion of the peculiar institution” (Bialy, 2007, p.384).

“We have the wolf by the ears, and we can neither hold him, nor safely let him go. Justice is in one scale, and self-preservation in the other.” In his letter to Senator Holmes, Thomas Jefferson discusses how the original 1780s compromise on the issue of slavery has led to the current continued debate of the Missouri Compromise of 1820. He expresses his fear that attempting to end slavery and its spread throughout the country, though the proper course, will lead to the destruction of the nation. Continued debate and antagonism over this issue led ultimately to the violence in Kansas and the start of the Civil War forty years later. When the Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed in 1854, settlers from the North and South rushed to the new territories of Kansas and Nebraska to secure them as either free or slave states.