Lincoln-Douglas Debates

1. Popular Sovereignty

1.1. Authority of the state and federal government is appointed by the people

1.2. Opposing the Wilmot Proviso in 1846.

1.3. Popular sovereignty was invoked in the Compromise of 1850 and later in the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854).

1.4. When during the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858, Douglas discussed that local opposition to the fugitive-slave laws could get rid of popular sovereignty.

2. House Divided

2.1. Speech by Abraham Lincoln in 1858

2.2. "A house divided against itself cannot stand."

2.3. Many different people called this speech as 'radical', but also politically incorrect

2.4. Resulted from western territories and the extent of federal power over individual states’ rights.

3. About:

3.1. Newspaper coverage of the debates was intense- issues were covered heavily

3.2. Debates were held in seven towns in the state of Illinois: Ottawa, Freeport, Jonesboro Charleston, Galesburg, Quincy, and Alton

3.3. series of seven debates between Abraham Lincoln (Republican) and incumbent Senator Stephen Douglas (Democrat)