The Lincoln-Douglas Debates of 1858 was a very influential event that occurred in American history and has much significance, even till this day. The debates were in contest for the United States Senate seat in Illinois. The main topic involved in the debates was based around slavery and the separation of the union because of it. Both Lincoln and Douglas refer to the U.S. Constitution in their remarks and state different opinions surrounding what they interpret the meaning of certain parts regarding slavery to be. Abraham Lincoln's position on slavery was the belief that the expansion of it to Free states and new territories should be ceased and that it eventually be abolished completely throughout the country. He believed simply that …show more content…

He refers to the constitution as backing up his desire for each state in the union to do as it pleases, by recognizing the fact that the founding fathers made the government the way they did in order for each state to make their own decisions regarding their own affairs. Douglas was concerned with the idea that Lincoln wanted govern new territories without giving them proper representation, which was the very same thing the British government did to the American colonies, which led to the War of Independence. This again also goes against Douglas's beliefs of more profound states' rights. Douglas's position on slavery is neither for nor against, but rather whatever each individual state decides for itself is what he vouches for. Douglas mentions taking slaves from one state to another whether it being a slave state or a non-slave state, to contradict the idea that Lincoln made previously. He expresses that regardless of the state that a slave is brought it is the slaveholder's property equal to any other type of property a man can own. Douglas feels that in order to keep the peace between the Free states and the slave states, it is necessary for the people to decide amongst themselves what they want. I feel that in the debate Abraham Lincoln had a