Lincoln-Douglas Debates Reading Comprehension
Grade Level: 6+ | Lexile: 1200 | Word Count: 341
 

Use this Activity:

Discuss -

  1. Why were the Lincoln-Douglas debates important, even though Lincoln lost the Senate race?
  2. What did the debates reveal about each speaker’s views on slavery and popular sovereignty?
  3. How do Lincoln’s words about race reflect the complexities of his position on slavery and equality?
  4. In what ways did these debates help shape the growing divide between the North and South before the Civil War?
Reading Groups - This passage serves as an excellent tool for enrichment-based reading groups in language arts or social studies.
Morning Work - The activity takes most students about 20 minutes to complete, making it an ideal solution for morning work.
Homework - This activity is a great way to assign homework in social studies or language arts.
Whiteboard - Have students come to the whiteboard to annotate important information or to circle the correct answers.