Trivia: In 1858, Lincoln engaged in a series of debates against what Democrat?
George McClellan
Henry Clay
Franklin Pierce
Stephen Douglas
The correct answer is Stephen Douglas
So why is this answer correct? : From August to October of 1858, Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas took part in a series of seven debates across the state of Illinois, leading up to an election for the U.S. Senate. (Douglas was the incumbent at the time.) Thousands of spectators and newspaper reporters from around the country watched the high-profile events, which centered around the era’s most pressing issue: slavery. Douglas ended up keeping his seat, but the national attention Lincoln gained through these debates helped propel him to a successful presidential bid just two years later.