Lincoln Douglas Debates Of 1858 example essay topic

Before engaging in the debates with Senator Stephen A. Douglas, Lincoln was relatively unknown in the political world and was just beginning his career in politics. Abraham Lincoln's reputation was just starting to grow, and his life was about to make a drastic change. The Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858 were a turning point in Abraham Lincoln's political career. After being nominated to the Illinois legislature, Lincoln gave his famous "House Divided" speech which caused much grief between the North and the South. A short while after he was nominated, Lincoln challenged Stephen A. Douglas to a series of debates. Douglas quickly accepted, and named seven sites in Illinois for these debates.

Lincoln could have proved his stand against slavery in a Senate debate, but the debates with Douglas received a lot of national recognition. The first of the seven joint debates took place in Ottawa, Illinois. Lincoln spoke in a totally contrasting style than Douglas. Douglas was offensive and wanted to make his point known.

Although the audience was amused, his Republican Party was not. They wanted Lincoln to be more aggressive in the next debate. Lincoln had never been applauded and didn't know what to make of it. He now knew that there were people on his side.

At the second debate at Freeport, Lincoln, he pledged that it was Congress' right and duty to terminate slavery in all the United States. Lincoln forced Douglas to repeat his conviction that slavery could be kept out of territories by a vote of the people with the Freeport Doctrine, a position that infuriated Southern Democrats and was to compromise Douglas's aspirations for the presidency" The next debate was at Jonesboro, IL. The majority of the people were for slavery, not against it. This debate proved disappointing for Lincoln and his followers. At Charleston, Lincoln tried to break away from any radicalism. He didn't want to be labeled as an abolitionist.

In this particular debate, Lincoln showed his support of the Fugitive Slave Law. He said that slavery was protected by the Constitution. The main concern of this debate, as well as the rest of the debates was whether or not the government should ban slavery in the United States, or do the citizens have the democratic right to end slavery. The fifth debate was held at Galesburg.

This debate helped Lincoln regain his confidence. He attacked all of Douglas' points firmly. He replied to the Kansas problem with inspiration and determination. He wanted to prove to the town of Galesburg that slavery was "a moral and political wrong". The next encounter took place in Quincy, Illinois, on Wednesday, October 13, 1858. It focused on personal issues of both speakers, and the differences in speaking techniques, physical appearances, and personalities.

Lincoln made sure that he was not assumed to be an abolitionist. He would sometimes bend his knees and body and shoot up to show emphasis on a certain point. The seventh and final debate, was held in Alton, Illinois, on October 15, 1858. Neither candidates brought any new points to the table. Instead, both Lincoln and Douglas summed up their arguments.

They still discussed the emphasis on slavery in the territories and the union of the United States. Lincoln wanted to get through to the people that blacks should have the same legal rights that are written in the Declaration of Independence. The Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858 were published in newspapers across the country. Lincoln published the debates because he wanted everyone to know who he really was and what he stood for. The debates received national recognition, which benefited Lincoln politically. Stephen A. Douglas was reelected and defeated Lincoln.

Despite his defeat, Lincoln became the leading Republican in Illinois and was being talked about as a candidate for president. He was disappointed, but told his followers that he would never give up. The Lincoln-Douglas debates lead to Lincoln's popularity among the United States. Without the debates, a great leader would never have been produced.

Abraham Lincoln started his political career as a nobody, but in the end was greatly admired.