That's what the debates were about - was slavery protected by the Constitution? If so, how could the new states vote to be free soil?
Abraham Lincoln.
The two primary participants in the great debate over slavery prior to the election of 1858 were Stephen A. Douglas and Abraham Lincoln. Douglas, a Democratic senator from Illinois, advocated for popular sovereignty, allowing territories to decide on the legality of slavery. In contrast, Lincoln, representing the Republican Party, argued against the expansion of slavery into new territories and emphasized the moral and political issues surrounding it. Their debates during the Illinois Senate race in 1858 highlighted the deepening divisions over slavery in the United States.
The Illinois seat was open in the US Senate and Lincoln (Republican) And Douglas (Democrat) were running against each other for said seat.Both Stephen A. Douglas and Abraham Lincoln were campaigning for one of the two United States Senator seats from Illinois in 1858.They participated in a total of seven debates across the state.Issues in the debates ranged from states' rights to the spread of slavery into the expanding territories.
In 1858, former US representative Abraham Lincoln (then little-known outside of Illinois) ran for a US Senate seat against the Democratic incumbent, Stephen A. Douglas. They held 7 scheduled debates, one in each of the districts in which neither had already campaigned. These were held between August 21 and October 15, 1858. The response by the public was arguably meaningless, since (at that time) the Illinois legislature elected the state's senators. (This was changed by the 17th amendment in 1913.) Lincoln, the Republican candidate, lost the election but his arguments were well-received by the audiences. He collected the transcribed texts into a book, which also became popular, leading to his nomination for President in 1860.
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates of 1858 were a series of seven debates between Abraham Lincoln, the Republican candidate for Senate in Illinois, and incumbent Senator Stephen Douglas, the Democratic Party candidate. Although Lincoln was a candidate for the Senate in Illinois, the debates were not directly related to an election of office. At the time, Illinois' Senators were elected by the Illinois Legislators, so the purpose of the debates was to represent their parties (Lincoln for the Republicans and Douglas for the Democrats) in a bid to win control of the Illinois Legislature. The main issue discussed in all seven debates was slavery.
In 1858, it was evident that Lincoln opposed slavery. He said as much in his debates against Stephen Douglas, who was his opponent in the presidential race.
Abraham Lincoln.
For the most part the Lincoln and Douglas debates centered around slavery. Lincoln made it clear how strong his opposition to slavery was. Douglas was not a pro-slavery advocate, but trusted the US Supreme Court decision in 1858 that basically declared slavery legal.
abolition of slavery
they disgree on the Nebraska-Kansas Act
The Lincoln and Douglas debates in 1858, were extensively covered by newspapers in both the North and the South. Northerners followed the debates and by doing so, brought to national attention the views of Abraham Lincoln. Abolitionists in the North were impressed with Abraham Lincoln's views on slavery.
1858
The main ISSUE of the DEBATE was whether slavery be allowed to expand to new territories. The REASON the debates were held was for a seat in the Illinois Senate.
Abraham Lincoln ran against Stephen Douglas for the U.S. Senate in 1858. Their famous debates, known as the Lincoln-Douglas debates, focused primarily on the issue of slavery and its expansion into the territories. Although Lincoln lost the election, the debates significantly raised his national profile and set the stage for his presidential run in 1860.
The Lincoln-Douglas debates took place during the 1858 Illinois Senate race, where Abraham Lincoln, who was running as a Republican, and Stephen A. Douglas, a Democratic incumbent senator, debated issues related to slavery and the Union. The main point of contention was the extension of slavery into new territories and states.
Abraham Lincoln ran against Stephen Douglas in the Illinois Senate race in 1858. Their famous series of debates, known as the Lincoln-Douglas debates, focused primarily on the issue of slavery and its expansion into the territories. Although Lincoln lost the election, the debates significantly raised his national profile and laid the groundwork for his future presidential campaign.
Abraham Lincoln debated Stephen Douglas, during the US Senate campaign, in Illinois, in 1858. They debated 7 times, in 7 different cities throughout Illinois. The main topic of the debates was the issue of slavery.