The arguments presented by Abraham Lincoln in his debates with Stephen A. Douglas have had a lasting effect on national politics. From 1858 through 1861, Lincoln’s arguments helped to shape the national discourse surrounding slavery and challenged the dominant narrative of the time. Lincoln's arguments helped to build a moral ground for the Republican Party and led to the establishment of the Republican Party as an anti-slavery party. The debates also brought Lincoln's name and reputation to a national stage and helped to pave the way for his election as President in 1860. The arguments about slavery presented by Abraham Lincoln in his debates with Stephen A. Douglas affected national politics as Abraham Lincoln was known nationally by the debates and the freeport doctrine had affected Douglas negatively. …show more content…
Lincoln's arguments, however, helped to bring the issue to the forefront of national politics and shift the conversation from one of compromise to one of confrontation. By doing so, he helped to make slavery a central issue in American politics and galvanize the anti-slavery movement.
The debates to establish Lincoln as a leading voice against slavery: During the debates, Lincoln presented a clear and forceful argument against the expansion of slavery, which helped to establish him as a leading voice against the institution. His argument that slavery was a moral wrong and that it was incompatible with the principles of the Declaration of Independence helped to inspire a generation of anti-slavery activists and paved the way for his eventual election as