Lincoln–Douglas debates

The so-called Lincoln -Douglas debates are a number of public speech duels between Abraham Lincoln ( Republican) and Stephen Douglas (Democrat ) on the occasion of the mid-term elections of 1858 in the U.S. state of Illinois.

In these mid-term elections, it dealt with were the confirmation of the senate seat of Douglas respectively the appointment of Lincoln as a new senator.

The seven public debates were also very popular among the citizens of the U.S. and were accompanied by nationally known newspapers. The battles of words namely not treated themes from the State of Illinois itself, but the slavery in the United States. Douglas accused Lincoln of wanting to make a complete equality between whites and blacks, while Lincoln protested.

Although Lincoln was well received and won prestige, the Democrats won in the midterm elections in Illinois and Douglas was confirmed as a senator. Nevertheless, Lincoln benefited from the Lincoln -Douglas debates. The nationwide coverage of the duels made ​​him known throughout the nation and let him appear as honest, eloquent politician ( Honest Abe ).

The Lincoln -Douglas debates are widely regarded as the beginning of public speaking duels in the United States of America.