Lincoln-Douglas DebatesLincoln-Douglas Debates

Presentation created by Robert MartinezPrimary Content Source: America’s HistoryImages as cited.

Abandoning the Whig Party in favor of Abandoning the Whig Party in favor of the Republicans, Lincoln quickly the Republicans, Lincoln quickly

emerged as their leader in Illinois.emerged as their leader in Illinois.

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Campaigning for Campaigning for the U.S. Senate the U.S. Senate against Stephen against Stephen Douglas in 1858, Douglas in 1858, Lincoln alerted Lincoln alerted

his audiences to his audiences to the dangers of the dangers of

the Slave Power.the Slave Power.

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Lincoln warned that the proslavery Supreme Lincoln warned that the proslavery Supreme Court might soon declare that the Constitution Court might soon declare that the Constitution

“does not permit a state to exclude slavery “does not permit a state to exclude slavery from its limits,” just as it had decided in Dred from its limits,” just as it had decided in Dred Scott that “neither Congress nor the territorial Scott that “neither Congress nor the territorial

legislature can do it.”legislature can do it.”

quotesofabrahamlincoln.blogspot.com

In that event, In that event, Lincoln continued, Lincoln continued, “we shall awake to “we shall awake to

the reality… that the the reality… that the Supreme Court has Supreme Court has made Illinois a slave made Illinois a slave

state.”state.”

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The prospect of The prospect of slavery spreading slavery spreading

into the North into the North resonated in resonated in

Lincoln’s famous Lincoln’s famous “House Divided” “House Divided” speech. Quoting speech. Quoting

from the Bible, “A from the Bible, “A house divided house divided

against itself cannot against itself cannot stand…”stand…”

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Lincoln predicted a Lincoln predicted a crisis: “I believe this crisis: “I believe this government cannot government cannot endure permanently endure permanently half slave and half half slave and half

free….It will become free….It will become all one thing, or all all one thing, or all

the other.”the other.”

mrkash.com

The contest in The contest in Illinois attracted Illinois attracted national interest national interest

because of because of Douglas’s Douglas’s

prominence in the prominence in the Democratic Party Democratic Party

and Lincoln’s and Lincoln’s reputation as a reputation as a

formidable formidable speaker.speaker.

kids.britannica.com

During a series of seven debates, Douglas During a series of seven debates, Douglas declared his support for white supremacy: declared his support for white supremacy:

“This government was made by our fathers, by “This government was made by our fathers, by white men for the benefit of white men and white men for the benefit of white men and their posterity forever,” he asserted, and he their posterity forever,” he asserted, and he

attacked Lincoln for supporting “negro attacked Lincoln for supporting “negro equality.”equality.”

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Put on the defensive by Douglas’s racial Put on the defensive by Douglas’s racial rhetoric, Lincoln advocated economic rhetoric, Lincoln advocated economic

opportunity for free blacks but not equal opportunity for free blacks but not equal political rights.political rights.

smithsonianmag.com

Lincoln asked how Douglas could accept the Lincoln asked how Douglas could accept the decision in decision in Dred ScottDred Scott (which protected slave (which protected slave

owner’s property in the territories) and yet owner’s property in the territories) and yet advocate popular sovereignty (which asserted advocate popular sovereignty (which asserted

settlers’ power to exclude slavery.)settlers’ power to exclude slavery.)

historyonair.com

Douglas Douglas responded with the responded with the so-called Freeport so-called Freeport

Doctrine, which Doctrine, which suggested that a suggested that a

territory’s territory’s residents could residents could exclude slavery exclude slavery simply by not simply by not

adopting a law to adopting a law to

protect it.protect it. uselectionatlas.org

Although that doctrine pleased neither Although that doctrine pleased neither proslavery advocates nor abolitionists, proslavery advocates nor abolitionists,

the Democrats won a narrow victory over the Democrats won a narrow victory over the Republicans in Illinois, and the state the Republicans in Illinois, and the state legislature reelected Stephen Douglas to legislature reelected Stephen Douglas to

the U.S. Senate.the U.S. Senate.

history1800s.about.com