LincolnDouglas

LincolnDouglas, sometimes written Lincoln–Douglas, refers to two related subjects in American political history: the 1858 debate between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas during the Illinois U.S. Senate campaign, and the broader one-on-one debate format used in education and public speaking.

The Lincoln–Douglas debates were a series of seven public discussions held across Illinois from August to October 1858. Lincoln, the Republican challenger, and Douglas, the Democratic incumbent, spoke on the pressing issue of slavery and its expansion into new territories, as well as broader constitutional questions such as federal authority, popular sovereignty, and the future of the Union. Although Douglas won re-election to the Senate, the debates elevated Lincoln to national prominence and helped define the emerging Republican stance on slavery.

The debates were widely reported by newspapers and later compiled into published form, influencing public discourse in the years leading up to the Civil War. Lincoln’s arguments against the expansion of slavery and his portrayal of a divided nation contributed to his eventual rise to the presidency in 1860, while Douglas’ defenses of popular sovereignty highlighted a competing political framework that shaped subsequent national debates.

In educational contexts, the term Lincoln–Douglas also denotes a common two-person debate format, emphasizing equal speaking opportunities, structured speeches, and rebuttals on a single proposition. Modern Lincoln–Douglas formats are used in high school and college competitions, focusing on argumentation, evidence, and speaking skills in a one-on-one setting.