The Lincoln-Douglass Debate - 1048 Words

Douglas provides an understanding of the United States that satisfies Kant’s â€Å"definitive† criteria for perpetual peace. In the Lincoln and Douglass debate of 1858, Douglass clearly sides with slavery. His discourse was a speech meant to unite the country and to prevent future conflicts over the issue of slavery. Douglas meant to persuade the people to accept slavery as a nationalize institution. This may have seemed morally wrong, however, Douglas understood that slavery was essential towards the country’s economic prosperity. In addition, Douglass understood that Lincoln’s speech in opposition of slavery was going to divide the house and bring war where many people would die. As a result, Douglas made clear that he believed in popular sovereignty, where the people had the right to choose if they wanted slavery or not (Johannsen, p. 24). More specifically, Douglas thought white people had the right to choose if blacks were to be slaves or not. This de monstrates that Douglas speech was also meant to separate politics and morality since his ideals removed the moral condemnation of slavery by its efforts to spread slavery over the new territories of the United States. Therefore, Douglas satisfies Kant’s definitive criteria for perpetual peace. According to Kant, no treaty of peace shall be made if it leaves space for future wars since peace signifies the end of all fighting (Kant, p. 107). In other words, Kant thinks that all actions must be taken in order to prevent war. ItShow MoreRelatedEssay on Political Debate of Slavery1209 Words   |  5 PagesDuring the Antebellum period, the issue of slavery affected many religious and political debates. This was seen in the Lincoln Douglass debates, legislation, and the evolution of political parties. The political debates that fueled the slavery controversy were derived from legislation. The first legislation passed was the three-fifths compromise. Naturally, southern states wanted slaves to be counted as a whole person because the slave population in the south was larger. The northern states opposedRead MoreThe Myth Of Abraham Lincoln1291 Words   |  6 PagesLincoln was a man of many talents that helped form the myths we know today and that most of those myths are well justified. With Lincoln being a man solidified into history and mythology, have the myths overshadowed the facts that truly made his life historically worthy or is it that within every myth lies an element of fact? The myths about Abraham Lincoln are ones of much debate leaving some to say that they accurately depict what Lincoln was and some see them as an embellishment of the truthRead MoreThe First Major Crisis Of Slavery890 Words   |  4 PagesSlavery movement was to keep slavery because thought slavery was the only reason they were still profiting and surviving during that particular period. To begin with, Frederick Douglass, a former slave wrote and spoke about the establishment of slavery and southern culture based on his youthful experiences as a slave. Douglass is a powerful speaker for the abolitionist movement and became a leader of the anti-slavery movement. One of the main reasons for his writing of the Narrative was to prove toRead MoreFrederick Douglass Thesis1344 Words   |  6 PagesIn a Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave written by himself, the author argues that no one can be enslaved if he or she has the ability to read, write, and think. Douglass supports his claim by first providing details of his attempts to earn an education, and secondly by explaining the conversion of a single slaveholder. The author’s purpose is to reveal the evils of slavery to the wider public in order to gain support for the abolition of his terrifying practice. BasedRead MoreFrederick Douglass Research Paper1165 Words   |  5 PagesUnit VI I: Frederick Douglass Relevance in the 21st Century Born into a life of slavery, Frederick Douglass overcame a boatload of obstacles in his very accomplished life. While a slave he was able to learn how to read and write, which was the most significant accomplishment in his life. This was significant, not only because it was forbidden for a slave to read due to the slaveholders wanting to keep them ignorant to preserve slavery, but because it was the starting point for Frederick to thinkRead MoreThe Main Differences Between The Federalist Vs. Antifederalist Debates, Abolitionist, And Dred Scott Decision1251 Words   |  6 Pages On November 19, 1863, the sixteenth president, Abraham Lincoln, declared in his famous Gettysburg Address, Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. Lincoln s sentiments express the longstanding tension between the North and the South about state s rights and slavery. Both of these causes sparked the Federalist vs. Antifederalist debates, Abolitionist Movement, and Dred Scott decision that ultimately fueledRead MoreWho Freed the Slaves871 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Who Freed the Slaves The long standing question of â€Å"who freed the slaves† has been under debate since the conclusion of the Civil War. One side of the argument takes the more obvious claim that emancipation came at the hand of the great Abraham Lincoln. The other side of the argument claims that the Slaves themselves attained their freedom. Both sides have been heavily researched and strongly supported with many facts. Do we give credit to one person for generating the political backing andRead MoreGive Me Liberty Chapter 13 Notes1842 Words   |  8 Pagesownership of Oregon Acquiring California was difficult, so he planned for military action The War and it’s critics The Mexican War was the first AM conflict to be fought primarily on foreign soil in which AM troops occupied a foreign capital Abraham Lincoln was a critic of the war, said to specify the precise â€Å"spot† where blood had first been shed...he lost his seat the next yr (Illinois ppl didn’t like it) Combat in Mexico Volunteers did most of the fighting The Navy captured Monterey and San FranciscoRead MoreThe Civil War : A Important Event843 Words   |  4 Pagesto enter as a free state and also, divided the remainder of the Mexican Cession into states that would decide on slavery through popular sovereignty and would pass a more effective fugitive slave law. Four years later in 1854, a man named Stephen Douglass wanted to build a railroad that went across the United States to the Pacific Ocean and in order to do this he needed supporters. Southern senators offered to support him if territory west of Missouri was open to slavery. So, Douglas introduced theRead MoreAbraham Lincoln s Speech On The Dred Scott Case863 Words   |  4 Pageswasn’t virtuous but did the court really make the wrong decision? In respect to this situation Abraham Lincoln made a speech to his fellow citizens. Abraham Lincoln did not agree. During his speech he said â€Å"But we think the Dred Scott decision is erroneous. We know the court that made it , has often over-ruled its own decisions, and we shall do what we can to have it to over-rule this.† President Lincoln believed all should have an equal chance, something in which of course slavery contradicted. He made