In the Lincoln-Douglas debates, particularly during the second debate held in Freeport, Illinois, on August 27, 1858, Abraham Lincoln directly challenged Stephen A. Douglas's principle of popular sovereignty. Lincoln posed the "Freeport Question," asking whether a territory could exclude slavery despite the Supreme Court's Dred Scott decision. Douglas responded that local legislation could effectively keep slavery out, asserting that the people of a territory had the right to determine their own laws. This exchange highlighted the deepening divide over the issue of slavery in America.
false
Stephen Douglas
because Stephen Douglas was a supporter of popular sovereighty
Stephen Douglas believed in popular sovereignty. He said in the debate, "I ask you to reflect on these things, for I tell you that there is a conspiracy to carry this election for the Black Republicans by slander, and not by fair means."http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/the-lincoln-douglas-debates-4th-debate-part-i/https://www.nps.gov/liho/learn/historyculture/debate1.htm
Lincoln argued that slavery was wrong. Douglas said that the founding fathers had slaves and that local people should be able to decide if they want slavery or not. Douglas labeled Lincoln as a radical. Lincoln said that how could Douglas say it was popular sovereignty if Northern States had to enforce the Fugitive Slave Law.
Stephen Douglas's idea of popular sovereignty for the expansion of slavery was not in a document, but rather came out in his debates with Abraham Lincoln.
Douglas. But Lincoln had gotten Douglas staked out to some positions perceived as pro-slavery in their debates, and this hurt Douglas in 1860 when they opposed each other for president. Douglas was hurt worse in 1860 by the divisions in the Democratic Party, though, which saw southern Democrats nominate and run John C. Breckenridge, and a breakaway faction nominate and run John Bell. So the Democrats divided their vote three ways in 1860, and Lincoln "won" with less than 40% of the popular vote.
Northerners had mixed reactions to the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858. Many abolitionists and anti-slavery advocates supported Abraham Lincoln for his stance against the expansion of slavery, viewing him as a principled opponent of Stephen Douglas's support for popular sovereignty. However, some moderate Republicans were concerned about Lincoln's radicalism, while others admired Douglas for his defense of states' rights. Overall, the debates heightened national tensions over slavery and solidified Lincoln's position as a leading figure in the Republican Party.
In the mid-1850's Douglas and Lincoln began one of the most famous political feuds in American history, it became known as the Lincoln-Douglas debates but the debates actually had began many years earlier. In Illinois's fourth capital, the Vandalia State House is where Douglas and Lincoln had their first debate around 1837. They continued with more debates in early 1840's above Joshua Speed's dry goods store, "where many aspirants politicians met" in Springfield, Illinois. During the 1840 presidential election Douglas made the decision to take their debates outside in the street, which lasted a week. Douglas enjoyed political fights and that is how he got his nickname the "Little Giant". Another reason was the many debates became more personal over Mary Todd "Lincoln's future wife and Douglas's past girlfriend". The famous Lincoln-Douglas debates was in mid-1850's and began over the Kansas-Nebraska Act, that under-minded the Missouri Compromise. Douglas saw it as "Manifest Destiny" but Lincoln saw it as a deliberate spread of slavery into Kansas and other once free-territories. Lincoln was Illinois Republican Party's nomination for senator, and ran against Douglas but even though Lincoln won the debates he still lost the senate to Douglas. Until the Presidential campaign of 1860. With the Democratic Party split, a Republican was sure to win. Lincoln was reserved in his campaign and stayed at home, allowing his supporters to speak for him. Douglas however did not, he campaigned furiously but Lincoln still won both popular and electoral college votes. I
In the second Lincoln-Douglas debate, held in Freeport, Illinois, on August 27, 1858, Abraham Lincoln directly challenged Stephen A. Douglas's stance on popular sovereignty. Lincoln posed the "Freeport Question," asking whether the people of a territory could exclude slavery before becoming a state. Douglas's response, which suggested that local legislation could effectively prevent slavery, ultimately alienated him from southern Democrats and highlighted the contentious issue of slavery's expansion.
Stephen Douglas was a senator from Illinois. He and Abraham Lincoln had a series of debates in Illinois that made Abraham Liincoln a contender for president. Stephen Douglas wanted to compromise on slavery with the concept of popular soverneignty.
Abraham Lincoln's debates with Stephen Douglas in 1858 primarily benefited the North by raising awareness about the moral and political implications of slavery. Lincoln's arguments against the expansion of slavery resonated with Northern sentiments, emphasizing the values of freedom and equality. In contrast, Douglas's support for popular sovereignty appealed more to Southern interests, but ultimately, Lincoln's articulate stance helped galvanize anti-slavery sentiment in the North, setting the stage for his presidential victory in 1860.