Video: 'Inside The Lincoln Douglas Debates - Documentary'

(Saturday, August 21, 1858, 2:30 p.m. local time) — The first of seven Lincoln–Douglas debates between Abraham Lincoln, the Republican candidate for the United States Senate from Illinois, and incumbent Senator Stephen Douglas, the Democratic Party candidate, took place today in Ottawa (click here to watch a reenactment of today’s debate).

At the time, U.S. senators were elected by state legislatures; thus Lincoln and Douglas were trying for their respective parties to win control of the Illinois General Assembly.

Douglas spoke for one hour, Lincoln then spoke for one hour and a half, and then Douglas spoke in a half hour rejoinder.

A crowd estimated between 10,000 and 20,000 attended the debate.

The debates previewed the issues that Lincoln would face in the aftermath of his victory in the 1860 presidential election.

Although Illinois was a free state, the main issue discussed in all seven debates was slavery in the United States.