Stephen Douglas: Democratic incumbent U.S. Senator from Illinois
What:
A series of seven public debates held across Illinois during the 1858 U.S. Senate election campaign.
The debates focused on the controversial issue of slavery, particularly the question of whether it should be allowed to expand into new territories.
Lincoln argued against the expansion of slavery, while Douglas defended the Popular Sovereignty doctrine, which allowed residents of territories to decide whether to allow slavery.
Impact: Why Significant?
National Spotlight: The debates catapulted Lincoln into the national spotlight, solidifying his reputation as a powerful orator and a leading opponent of slavery.
Public Awareness: The debates brought the issue of slavery to the forefront of public discourse, deepening the national divisions and setting the stage for the Civil War.
Political Polarization: The debates further divided the nation along sectional lines, strengthening the Republican Party’s anti-slavery stance and solidifying the Democrats’s support for states’ rights and Popular Sovereignty.
Lincoln’s National Rise: Despite losing the Senate election, the debates established Lincoln as a national figure and helped pave the way for his presidential victory in 1860.