Lincoln was supporting Wilmot Proviso, which was a failed attempt to ban slavery.
When Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas met in a series of seven debates as they ran for Illinois Senate seat, they heatedly debated a critical issue that day, slavery.
Debates raised Lincoln's profile, helping to encourage him to run for president two years later.
However, Douglas will actually win the 1858 Senate election.
The period of US history from the 1890s to the 1920s is usually referred to as the Progressive Era, an era of intense social and political reform aimed at making progress toward a better society.
Progressive Era reformers sought to harness the power of the federal government to eliminate unethical and unfair business practices, reduce corruption, and counteract the negative social effects of industrialization.
During the Progressive Era, protections for workers and consumers were strengthened, and women finally achieved the right to vote.
Characteristics of the Progressive Era include purification of the government, modernization, a focus on family and education, prohibition, and women's suffrage.
