During the Lincoln-Douglas debates, Lincoln and Douglas disagreed over the issue of slavery.
Abraham Lincoln believed that slavery was morally wrong because all men were created equal and that slavery violated this principle. He believed that African Americans were not only equal to whites but also superior in many ways. Lincoln wanted to end slavery as soon as possible, but he also did not want to cause any harm to slave owners or their property while doing so.
Douglas argued that slavery was a necessary evil and that it should be allowed to continue. He believed African Americans were not equal to whites. Douglas thought that ending slavery would ruin both white and black communities because there would no longer be any jobs for slaves once they were freed from their masters’ control—whereas Lincoln believed freeing slaves would lead to economic prosperity for everyone involved (including slave owners).
Lincoln thought that slavery was a barrier to the country’s development, while Douglas believed that the abolition of slavery would lead to racial tensions and violence, which would cause more harm than good for both races involved. Douglas also argued that if the country eliminated slavery then it would become weaker militarily due to a lack of manpower needed for war efforts.
