Which political figure squared off against Abraham Lincoln in the famous debates known as the Lincoln-Douglas debates?

• A. George Washington
• B. Stephen Douglas
• C. Abraham Lincoln
• D. Thomas Jefferson

Answer: (B)

Stephen A. Douglas is the figure who squared off with Abraham Lincoln in the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates. These seven debates took place in 1858 during the Illinois U.S. Senate campaign, and they centered on the future of slavery in new territories. Douglas argued for popular sovereignty—letting residents in each territory decide the issue of slavery for themselves—while Lincoln challenged the expansion of slavery into new territories. The exchange between Lincoln and Douglas became a defining moment in the era, boosting Lincoln’s national profile and setting the stage for his 1860 presidential bid. The other names listed lived in earlier periods and were not participants in these debates.