Editing 639: Lincoln-Douglas
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The {{w|Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858}} were a series of seven debates between {{w|Abraham Lincoln}} and {{w|Stephen A. Douglas|Stephen Douglas}}, respectively the Republican and Democratic nominees for a U.S. Senate seat in Illinois (Douglas was the incumbent). All seven debates were devoted to the topic of slavery, a red-hot issue in the United States that played a significant role in precipitating American Civil War. Although Lincoln ultimately lost the election, he had the edited text of the debates published in a book. The book's popularity and widespread media coverage of the original debates helped put his name on the map in American politics, leading to his nomination for President of the United States by the Republican party in 1860. Lincoln went on to win the election (Douglas was one of his opponents in this race), after which point several states immediately seceded and formed a separate government, the {{w|Confederate States of America}}. The Confederacy {{w|Battle of Fort Sumter|attacked Fort Sumter}} in April 1861, sparking the {{w|American Civil War}}, a vicious conflict between the states that would last for four years. | The {{w|Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858}} were a series of seven debates between {{w|Abraham Lincoln}} and {{w|Stephen A. Douglas|Stephen Douglas}}, respectively the Republican and Democratic nominees for a U.S. Senate seat in Illinois (Douglas was the incumbent). All seven debates were devoted to the topic of slavery, a red-hot issue in the United States that played a significant role in precipitating American Civil War. Although Lincoln ultimately lost the election, he had the edited text of the debates published in a book. The book's popularity and widespread media coverage of the original debates helped put his name on the map in American politics, leading to his nomination for President of the United States by the Republican party in 1860. Lincoln went on to win the election (Douglas was one of his opponents in this race), after which point several states immediately seceded and formed a separate government, the {{w|Confederate States of America}}. The Confederacy {{w|Battle of Fort Sumter|attacked Fort Sumter}} in April 1861, sparking the {{w|American Civil War}}, a vicious conflict between the states that would last for four years. | ||
| β | In 1863, the Union | + | In 1863, the Union armies defeated their Confederate counterparts at the {{w|Battle of Gettysburg}} in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Four and a half months later, President Lincoln delivered the {{w|Gettysburg Address}}, to dedicate the Soldiers' National Cemetery. The Address, less than three minutes long, became one of the most famous speeches in American history; millions of schoolchildren have memorized it verbatim in the 150 years since. |
In this comic, Stephen Douglas heckles President Lincoln after the opening sentence of the Gettysburg Address with a juvenile "your mom" joke, which is both anachronistic and not up to Douglas's usual elegant standards of debate. The only difference from the original speech is that "our fathers" is replaced with "your mom". | In this comic, Stephen Douglas heckles President Lincoln after the opening sentence of the Gettysburg Address with a juvenile "your mom" joke, which is both anachronistic and not up to Douglas's usual elegant standards of debate. The only difference from the original speech is that "our fathers" is replaced with "your mom". | ||
