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The Lincoln-Douglas Debates of 1858

Abraham Lincoln · 1858

Transcripts of the 1858 Senate campaign debates between Lincoln and Stephen Douglas, mainly about slavery.

Lincoln's own words in these debates helped build the reputation that led to his presidency.

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About this source

What it is

This is a collection of speeches made by Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas during their 1858 campaign for the U.S. Senate seat from Illinois. The debates took place in several towns, with each man speaking and replying in turn.

Why it matters

The debates focused on slavery and its expansion into new territories, and made Lincoln nationally known even though he lost the Senate race. They show the arguments used by both sides in the years leading up to the Civil War.

Look closer

  • How do Lincoln's and Douglas's arguments about slavery differ?
  • Why might these debates have been reported and preserved in such detail?
  • What does the format of question-and-reply tell you about political campaigning at the time?

This speech is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Abraham Lincoln on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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