The Lincoln-Douglas Debates of 1858

Objective: In this activity, you will analyze primary sources to better understand a topic of historical significance and to cultivate strong critical thinking, analysis, and writing skills.
Activity Prompt: Imagine you are a journalist asked to cover the first Lincoln-Douglas debate for a major eastern newspaper. The debate took place on August 21, 1858, in Ottawa, Illinois, a town in the northern part of the state. In total, Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas would debate each other seven times between August 21 and October 15, 1858. Newspapers from New York to St. Louis covered and included extracts of the debates. Because of this intense national attention, the Senate race in Illinois served as a proxy for the nation’s division over the issue of slavery. Your task is to relate to your readers the details of the positions of each candidate. What did Lincoln and Douglas stand for? How did they disagree on the issue of slavery in western territories? What were their different views on race? Finally, as much as you can, try to relate the atmosphere surrounding the debate and the two candidates’ supporters.