You are a journalist for a newspaper in 1858. It is your job to produce a one- to two-paragraph news story about the Lincoln-Douglas debates. You can focus your news piece by making it an article about each candidate’s views on slavery.

believed slavery should not spread
believed states should decide if they want to allow slavery
believed slavery embarrassed the United States in the eyes of the world
believed blacks and whites were not equal

Lincoln :

- believed slavery should not spread

- believed slavery embarrassed the United States in the eyes of the world

Douglas :

- believed states should decide if they want to allow slavery

- believed blacks and whites were not equal

Explanation :

Lincoln used the establishment of slavery as his main platform during the presidential election. He believed that there is no justifiable cause to enslave other human beings, even if we look at it from both economic and human rights perspective.

In economic perspective, industrial revolution have created a way for business to mass produce their goods without needing the work of slaves anymore. In human rights perspective, Lincoln believe that humans are created equal regardless of the color of their skin.

Other Industrialized nations such as England has abolish slavery for around 30 years at that time (in 1833). The fact that United States still did it was an embarrassment in the eyes of the world.

Douglas Believed the exact opposite. He believed that white people are superior to the Blacks. So it is in their divine rights to justify enslaving and 'guide' them. He also believe that the federal government shouldn't determine whether slavery should exist or not. All of that power should be given to the stats.