The Lincoln-Douglas Debates: In the Turbulence of History

Harvard HLS

Prerequisite: None Exam Type: No Exam In this seminar, we'll do a close reading of the full text of the Lincoln-Douglas debates in 1858. Our focus will be on the modes and effectiveness of the arguments as well as their substance. At the same time, we'll consider the political context of the debates by reading selections from two books by Kenneth Stampp - America in 1857 and And the War Came - in order not only to better understand the debates, but also to appreciate the…