The Lincoln-Douglas Debates and Their Profound Effect on Political Affairs

In November of 1860, the presidential election was one of the most momentous in the history of the United States. The land was split between North and the South and was smoldering for almost a decade. The candidates for the presidential election of 1860 were Abraham Lincoln, Republican, John Breckinridge, Southern Democrat, John Bell, Constitutional Union, and Stephen Douglas, Northern Democratic. Abraham Lincoln was against the increase of slavery into the new territories. Lincoln did not receive one vote from the south, but he did win over 50% of the Electoral College votes so Lincoln won the presidency to become the 16th President of the United States. Abraham Lincoln was known as one of America’s greatest heroes because of his inconceivable impact on our nation and his unique appeal. Lincoln was a captain in the military and a lawyer all before becoming the 16th President of the United States. Lincoln was one of two U.S. presidents who was assassinated while in office. Lincoln was also the president during the roughest part of American history, the Civil War. Lincoln was heavily in favor of abolishing slavery and so most of the citizens in the northern states of the U.S... On the other hand, the south had large plantations and favored slavery because the slaves worked for free and made plantation owners and other farmers a staggering amount of profit. The slaves were not treated as human beings; therefore, the slaves were mistreated. Slave owners often beat their slaves

The Lincoln Douglas debates were a series of several debates that took place all over the state of Illinois. In these debates, two men argued in order to express their beliefs and standpoints on certain issues, primarily slavery, in an attempt to be elected into a seat in the U.S. Senate. The two men that participated in these debates were

The Lincoln-Douglas Debates were one of the most significant events in American political history. It led to high tensions between the North and the South and it ended up being one of the main causes of the civil war. The Lincoln–Douglas Debates were a series of seven debates between Abraham Lincoln, the Republican candidate for the United States Senate from Illinois, and incumbent Senator Stephen Douglas, the Democratic Party candidate. Lincoln first challenged Douglas to the debates in 1858. It consisted of seven, three hour public debates in total. Both republican and democratic citizens from all over the country came to watch the fascinating discussion between the two. Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas engaged in the prominent Lincoln-Douglas Debates during the election of 1860, for the public debates led to high controversy between Northerners and Southerners.

As a result of the Compromise of 1850, California was admitted as a free state, the territory disputed between Texas and New Mexico was surrendered to New Mexico, the slave trade was abolished in the District of Columbia, the Mexican Cession was open to popular sovereignty, and a stronger Fugitive Slave Law was enacted. In a speech to the Senate on March 7, 1850, Senator Daniel Webster stated his opinion that the North is wrong for not obeying the Fugitive Slave Law and that succession is amiss [Document D].The tone of Webster’s speech is objective as he attempts to see both sides- the North and the South. Webster is unbiased because as a Northern man, he agrees with the South. The peace was only temporary. The Fugitive Slave Law upset Northerners and the Underground Railroad became more active, peaking between 1850 and 1860. Massachusetts went so far as to making it a penal offense for a state official to enforce the act. The act also brought the issue of slavery into the limelight before the entire nation. In fact, by 1858, there was no avoiding the subject of slavery. During the Lincoln-Douglass Debates in a speech at Alton, Illinois on October 15, 1858, Abraham Lincoln stated that slavery was no longer just a political issue [Document G]. Slavery was splitting the nation and during the Second Great Awakening, even churches split over the issue. Lincoln’s speech is

The election of 1860 was a crucial point in our countries history. The Tensions were high between the north and southern states and the issue of slavery was the biggest problem at the time. The election of Lincoln led to the perception that the south and its interests would lose control of the federal government and that the new government would ultimately get rid of slavery altogether.

The Democratic Party split in 1860 over the slavery issue. The Democrats from the Northern states were against slavery or at least the expansion of slavery in the new territories while the Democrats from the Southern states wanted to preserve slavery in their states and were for extending it in the new territories. On April 23, 1860, the Democrats met in Charleston, South Carolina with the goals of finalizing their platform and nominating a presidential candidate. In the North the Democratic candidate was the moderate Stephen Douglas. Voters in the South chose John Breckenridge, a defender of "Southern rights". The Southern Democrats hated Douglas, although he was not completely opposed to slavery in the West, he wanted to limit the institution 's use in the territories, by initiating popular sovereignty. A key play by Lincoln in the Lincoln-Douglas Debates in 1858 helped the Southerners realize this. Because the Democrats were split between different candidates and the Republican Party was united behind Abraham Lincoln, they won more electoral votes. Therefore, Lincoln became president.

Thesis: Slavery was the biggest issue during the election of 1860. There were four candidates in this presidential election. Abraham Lincoln, Stephen Douglas, John Breckinridge, and John Bell all campaigned for the presidency. Each of these men had completely different views of how they thought the issue of slavery should’ve been handled. This was one of the most historic elections in US history.

"Douglas basically explained in the Freeport Doctrine his belief that the people in a new territory be able to decide whether or not they would allow slavery."(What Were the Results of the Lincoln-Douglas Debates?) The Freeport Doctrine was the subject Douglas spoke about. It made people uneasy."Lincoln argued that while he wanted to end the extension of slavery into US territories"(What Were the Results of the Lincoln-Douglas Debates?) It was important, and a historical debate time. As Lincoln spoke his famous quotes a nation cannot stand as a divided nation, and everyone had rights through the Declaration Of Independence.The problem also was extension to the different territories for slavery. The Debates were not to fix slavery, but to talk about what would make it better. What laws could change it, or stopping slavery from happening in many other

President Abraham Lincoln was the foremost topic of importance when regarding the causes for the crisis and war that took place in the United States presented by Douglass’ contemporaries. They claimed that before Lincoln’s presidency there was tranquility among the states: “Before Lincoln there was a peace; after Lincoln there was rebellion” (Shi, Mayer, 2013, p. 433). Ironically, the first task on Lincoln’s agenda for his presidency was focusing on maintaining peace within the states: “he was “devoted to peace”” (Tindall, Shi, 2013, p.494). Lincoln opted to make a statement during his inauguration promising that he would remain out of the affairs of the southern slave states and their slave business: “Lincoln repeats his pledge not “to interfere with the institution of slavery in the states where it exists”” (Tindall, Shi, 2013, p.495). However, Lincoln did not tolerate the secession of the southern states saying it was unlawful and that he would continue the same policies of taxes, tariffs, etc. that had been set in place before his presidency. Lincoln was under the impression that his actions would lead the states towards a time of peace. However, Douglass’ contemporaries believed, Lincoln’s presidency was a turn towards crisis and rebellion. The main issues at

The Seven Lincoln-Douglas debates were a series of political debates for a Senate seat of Illinois between Abraham Lincoln, Illinois lawyer and the Republican candidate, and Stephen A. Douglas, senator from Illinois since 1847, for the Democratic Party. Lincoln and Douglas held one debate in each in seven congressional districts in Illinois. The first debate was held on August 21, 1858. Ottawa, north-central Illinois, The debates centered on the issue of slavery. Douglas accused Lincoln with trying to “abolitionize” the Whig and Democratic Parties and he also charged Lincoln as a radical abolitionist while Lincoln accused Douglas most importantly trying to nationalize slavery actively conspiring with the south. Veracity, Accusation and Conspiracy in Lincoln 's Campaign for the Senate by Fred J. Kauffeld, Edgewood College, illustrates Lincoln accusation of Douglas being an active conspirator or a tool for Southern leadership is doubtful while Stephen A. Douglas and the South by Robert W. Johannsen, University of Illinois investigates the root history, desires and political association of Douglas with southern states of United states.

The election of 1860 had several representatives: Abraham Lincoln, Stephen Douglas (North representatives), John Breckenridge, and John Bell (South representatives). The major issue involved around the debate about slavery and how it should be expanded. The views between the North and the South clashed here again. The North believed in Lincoln and his viewpoints, supporting him as the next President of the United States. His beliefs consisted of not interfering with the already existing slavery, but still give black men equal rights as listed in the Declaration of Independence.

The factor accounting for the much better performance of Lincoln in the debates rather than Douglas, was the severity of mudslinging brought upon Lincoln. A plethora of opportunities had arisen that led Lincoln on the defense of his beliefs by said attempts to defame him by Douglas. For instance, in a letter from Lincoln to Washburne, Lincoln writes about accusations from Douglas saying he is in league with Washburne, who does not support anymore admissions of slave states. Lincoln offered a proposition for Washburne to burn the letter without answering and if it was false to write him a reply to make it public. He never ended up getting a reply, meaning it might have been true.

The Lincoln-Douglas Debates of 1858 was a very influential event that occurred in American history and has much significance, even till this day. The debates were in contest for the United States Senate seat in Illinois. The main topic involved in the debates was based around slavery and the separation of the union because of it. Both Lincoln and Douglas refer to the U.S. Constitution in their remarks and state different opinions surrounding what they interpret the meaning of certain parts regarding slavery to be.

The freedom of America’s slaves has always been accredited to Abraham Lincoln, but he was not always the complete abolitionist as he is commonly portrayed. The “house divided”, as Lincoln depicts it in his famous ‘House Divided’ speech, of the United States during the Civil War, was not always lead towards the freedom of all mankind, and there is sufficient evidence to support this claim. The sixteenth president is most commonly remembered for inducing the courage and determination to end the Civil War, with the Emancipation Proclamation, although when it more closely studied he did not cross the great divide of enslavement vs. freedom with the submittal of that fabled document. When following the many famous quotes and speeches of Lincoln’s life, it appears that he was against all slavery and bondage. Although when they are more closely examined, the quotes and speeches actually leaned towards his lack of strong opinion on the outcome of slavery. Lincoln is perceived as the most famous revolutionary of American history, but he does not live up to his legacy of being the eradicator of forced servitude.

Archaeologists have traditionally viewed the list of seven debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas through the 1858 Illinois state voting campaign as amongst the most important declarations in American imperial history. Those concerns they addressed were not only of crucial significance to the regional dispute over states’ rights and slavery but also covered deeper into issues that would proceed to change political dialogue. What is usually neglected is that these contests were a component of the comprehensive campaign, that they were intended to achieve some main policy objectives, and that they showed the features of mid-nineteenth-century political speech . Douglas, being part of Congress as from 1843 and a famous nationwide spokesperson for the Democratic body, was contesting for another election for a third season in the Senate, whereas Lincoln was vying for the same seat as a Republican1. Due to Douglas’s political development, the campaign captivated nationwide attention.