Base your response on course materials. Write your responses in YOUR OWN WORDS. Do not use any other materials (including online sources) for this assignment. Remember, this should be written in essay form, not in question/answer form or in one long paragraph. Plagiarizing any part of the essay will result in a 0.
Write a 200-300 word ESSAY (including separate short introduction and conclusion) that addresses the following questions:
Briefly discuss the political background of each man. (Please DO NOT discuss Lincoln as president, this debate took place in 1858, Lincoln was not elected president until 1860). What political office were Lincoln and Douglas running for in 1858? According to the excerpt from the debates, in the VOICES OF FREEDOM SECTION, what do Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas have to say about states' rights vs. the right of every person to be free? What does this political debate tell us about American society in the years leading up to the Civil War? Don't hypothesize here, use specific examples to support your answer.
Sample Solution