LINCOLN-DOUGLAS DEBATE

Lincoln-Douglas Debate

Lincoln-Douglas Debate

Abraham Lincoln-Douglas debate

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, is almost universally considered, by American historians to be the greatest of the American presidents. Born into slavery in 1818, Frederick Douglass transformed himself from an illiterate slave into a leading abolitionist orator, influential journalist, and well-known public speaker who was celebrated in Europe and received in the White House.

Lincoln's opposition to equality was long-standing. In a debate with Stephen Douglas several years before he became president, he said, "I am not nor ever have been in favor of the social and political equality of the white and black races: that I am not in favor of making voters of the free Negroes, or jurors, or qualifying them to hold office or having them to marry with white people.... I am, as much as any other man, in favor of the superior position being assigned to the white man." Finally, Lincoln believed in white supremacy, remarking that he believed African Americans were "inferior in color and perhaps moral and intellectual endowment (Sam, 2011)."

In July 1858, Abraham Lincoln ran against Senator Stephen A. Douglas for his Senate seat. Lincoln challenged Douglas to a series of public debates during the election campaign. The debates took place in seven Illinois cities (August 21-October 15) and, the issue of slavery was of primary concern. Douglas supported the doctrine of "popular sovereignty"—the idea that states should choose for themselves whether to be slave or free—while Lincoln argued against the expansion of slavery, claiming that the continued admission of slave states would eventually divide the nation. Lincoln won the popular vote but lost the vote of the state legislature and, hence, the race. The debates drew nationwide attention and brought Lincoln greater prominence, helping him to win the 1860 presidential election.

The Democrat Douglas ...