Podcast appearances and mentions of Stephen A Douglas

    Today's Sponsor: YouTube TVhttp://thisistheconversationproject.com/youtubetv       Today's Rundown:A double dose of Obama firepower, a doting spouse and a dance party: Takeaways from Day 2 of the DNChttps://apnews.com/article/harris-dnc-convention-obama-project-2025-490981a504638749cf2c18848506c74b  Jennifer Lopez Files for Divorce from Ben Affleck, No Prenuphttps://www.tmz.com/2024/08/20/jennifer-lopez-ben-affleck-file-divorce/Oklahoma State football helmets to have QR codes for fans linking to NIL donation pagehttps://sports.yahoo.com/oklahoma-state-football-helmets-to-have-qr-codes-for-fans-linking-to-nil-donation-page-185217314.html Star Wars: The Acolyte Canceled After One Seasonhttps://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/star-wars-the-acolyte-canceled-no-season-two/?utm_source=smartnews.com&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=SmartNews%20Feed  Chappell Roan slams abuse and harassment from fans in TikTok videohttps://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2024/08/20/chappell-roan-stalker-comments-harassment-abuse-tiktok/74869228007/?tbref=hp  UPS driver suffering from heat exhaustion 'passed out,' got into crash, Teamsters sayhttps://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/08/20/ups-driver-passed-out-texas-crash-heat-exhaustion-teamsters/74869224007/?tbref=hp  Judge Gives Mike Lindell Ultimatum In $5 Million 'Prove Me Wrong' Casehttps://www.newsweek.com/mike-lindell-federal-court-minnesota-election-challenge-5-million-prove-me-wrong-1941734   Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's Daughter Shiloh Granted Name Change, Will Go by Shiloh Joliehttps://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/angelina-jolie-brad-pitts-daughter-185928560.html Website: http://thisistheconversationproject.com  Facebook: http://facebook.com/thisistheconversationproject  Twitter: http://twitter.com/th_conversation  TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@theconversationproject  YouTube: http://thisistheconversationproject.com/youtube  Podcast: http://thisistheconversationproject.com/podcasts      ONE DAY OLDER ON August 21:Kelis (45)Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss (43)Usain Bolt (38) WHAT HAPPENED TODAY:1858: The first of seven debates between U.S. Senate candidates Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas was held in Ottawa, Illinois.1912: Arthur Eldred became the first Eagle Scout, by earning 10 badges of his choice and 11 specific badges.1959: President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed an executive order proclaiming Hawaii the 50th state of the union. WORD OF THE DAY: multitude [ muhl-ti-tood, -tyood ]https://www.dictionary.com/browse/multitudea large indefinite numberThe library was home to a multitude of books, offering endless knowledge and adventure to those who sought it.   DAILY AFFIRMATION: I Am Focused, Persistent, And Will Never Give Up.Enhances Skills: Affirming your focus and persistence can lead to significant improvements in your abilities. A dedicated mindset encourages continuous learning and skill enhancement, making you more adept in your personal and professional endeavors.https://www.amazon.com/100-Daily-Affirmations-Positivity-Confidence/dp/B0D2D6SS2D/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1WQBWD1QLPY95&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.NRYOXILA_fPs_fuXcyiwODc6ZLTRzYtg7HkX2KxYA70.NatQgGVyJVt3ySzvXdHtT8q-IUGRsteKym8W5ZZ27dM&dib_tag=se&keywords=100+affirmations+payne&qid=1724015654&sprefix=100+affirmations+payne%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-1 PLUS, TODAY WE CELEBRATE: Sweet Tea Dayhttps://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-iced-tea-day-june-10#:~:text=June%2010%20is%20National%20Iced,random%20information%20about%20iced%20tea.Iced tea is the second most popular beverage in the world, following water. The oldest tea remains date to around 453BC. Archeologists from Shandong University and the University of Science and Technology found 2,400 year old tea remains in a royal tomb in the Shandong province. 

PREVIEW: CIVIL WAR: Conversation with Professor Alan Taylor about his new work, "AMERICAN CIVIL WARS, 1850-1873," regarding the war between the states dominated by political voices such as Stephen A. Douglas, whom the professor profiles succinctly. More tonight. 1865 Burning of Richmond

This Day in Legal History: Kansas-Nebraska Act PassedOn May 30, 1854, the U.S. Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, a significant piece of legislation that allowed the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide for themselves whether to allow slavery through popular sovereignty. This act, introduced by Senator Stephen A. Douglas, effectively repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which had prohibited slavery north of the 36°30′ parallel except within the boundaries of the proposed state of Missouri.The Kansas-Nebraska Act led to a violent struggle between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers in Kansas, a period known as "Bleeding Kansas." This conflict highlighted the deep divisions within the United States over the issue of slavery and pushed the nation closer to civil war. The act's passage demonstrated the growing power of the pro-slavery faction in American politics and underscored the weaknesses of legislative compromises in addressing the moral and political challenges posed by slavery.By allowing the possibility of slavery's expansion into new territories, the Kansas-Nebraska Act intensified the sectional conflict and contributed to the rise of the Republican Party, which was founded on an anti-slavery platform. The law's implications continued to reverberate throughout the nation, setting the stage for the eventual secession of the Southern states and the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861.Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has declined to recuse himself from cases involving Donald Trump and the January 6 Capitol riot, despite calls from Democratic lawmakers. These calls followed reports that far-right-associated flags were flown over Alito's homes in Virginia and New Jersey. Alito attributed the flag displays to his wife, Martha-Ann Alito, emphasizing her independent decision-making.In his letters to lawmakers, including Senator Dick Durbin and Representative Hank Johnson, Alito explained that his wife flies various flags and was responsible for the flagpoles at their residences. He mentioned that the upside-down American flag was flown during a neighborhood dispute and that he requested its removal, which his wife initially resisted. He also noted that the "Appeal to Heaven" flag flown at their beach house was meant to express a patriotic and religious message.Alito's response has intensified discussions about the need for an enforceable code of conduct for the Supreme Court. Johnson criticized Alito's explanation, calling for congressional action to ensure accountability. This controversy comes as the Supreme Court prepares to rule on significant cases related to Trump's alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election and the January 6 Capitol riot.Alito, a key figure in the court's conservative wing, previously authored the opinion that overturned Roe v. Wade, ending the constitutional right to abortion.Alito Rejects Democrats' Calls to Step Away From Trump Cases (3)Jurors in Donald Trump's hush money trial have begun their second day of deliberations, focusing on testimony from key witnesses, including Michael Cohen and David Pecker. Trump, charged with falsifying business records to cover up a payment to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election, has pleaded not guilty. Cohen, who facilitated the $130,000 payment, testified that Trump reimbursed him through disguised legal fees. The jurors requested transcripts of Cohen's testimony and Pecker's account of working with Trump to suppress damaging stories.The outcome of this trial could impact Trump's 2024 presidential campaign, though a conviction would not bar him from running or serving if elected. Jurors must reach a unanimous verdict, and a mistrial could be declared if they fail to agree. Manhattan prosecutors must prove Trump's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Polls indicate a tight race between Trump and President Biden, with a potential conviction possibly affecting Trump's support​Jurors to begin second day of deliberations in Trump hush money trial | ReutersQuarterback Jaden Rashada's lawsuit against the University of Florida highlights significant risks in the evolving landscape of name-image-likeness (NIL) deals in college athletics. Rashada alleges that Florida boosters and football coach Billy Napier reneged on a $13.8 million contract promised to him to play for the Florida Gators instead of the University of Miami. According to the complaint filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of Florida, the payment never materialized, leaving Rashada without the promised compensation.This lawsuit is the first of its kind, addressing fraudulent recruiting tactics involving NIL agreements and third-party collectives. These collectives pool alumni donor money for NIL deals, often resulting in unregulated and problematic agreements for young athletes. Attorney Janet Moreira highlighted the dangers of such unregulated collectives, calling for greater oversight to protect student-athletes.The case also comes at a time when the NCAA has agreed to a nearly $2.8 billion settlement to end antitrust lawsuits, including provisions for direct revenue sharing with athletes. This settlement marks a significant shift in the financial landscape of college sports, which has historically prohibited athlete compensation until recent legal changes.Rashada's suit claims that he was lured away from Miami by false promises, with payments from Florida boosters never materializing. The complaint points to long-time Gators booster Hugh Hathcock and Florida's NIL director, who allegedly made misleading assurances about the financial rewards Rashada would receive. This case underscores the ongoing challenges and complexities in the NIL era, where student-athletes must navigate a new and often treacherous financial landscape.Ex-Recruit's Fraud Suit Against Florida Coach Exposes NIL RisksJenna Ellis, former legal adviser to Donald Trump's 2020 campaign, has had her Colorado law license suspended for three years following an agreement with state legal regulators. This decision, approved by a Colorado Supreme Court disciplinary judge, stems from Ellis' indictment in Georgia for her involvement in efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Ellis pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting false statements and received five years probation. Her suspension begins on July 2.Ellis admitted to spreading baseless claims about election fraud and expressed remorse for her actions, acknowledging that she had been misled by senior Trump campaign lawyers. She emphasized the importance of election integrity and accepted her suspension, recognizing the harm caused by her actions.Jenna Ellis, ex-Trump campaign legal adviser, has Colorado law license suspended for 3 years - CBS News Get full access to Minimum Competence - Daily Legal News Podcast at www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

Yesterday was the birthday of Abraham Lincoln. Today on Bill Mick Live, Dave takes a very brief overview look at the life and legacy of one of the great Presidents of the United States. from his days in the Illinois Legislature to the US Congress, to the stump debating Stephen A. Douglas. His election as the first republican Party candidate for President would lead to the split of the nation and the devastation of the American Civil War. His assassination would insure that much of the anger that divided the country would continue, even to today. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/plausibly-live/message

A Morning News Update That Takes Into Account The News Stories You Deem 'Highly Conversational' Today's Sponsor: PsPrinthttps://thisistheconversationproject.com/psprint Today's Rundown:Russia's Luna-25 spacecraft suffers technical glitch in pre-landing maneuver https://apnews.com/article/russia-moon-mission-luna-25-glitch-0eccbb5427af29ca7fb4c90369389dbf New Tucker Carlson Biography Bombs With Just 3,000 Copies Soldhttps://www.mediaite.com/media/new-tucker-carlson-biography-bombs-with-just-3000-copies-sold/ Stephen A. Smith Says Shannon Sharpe NOT Signed With ESPN. Yet.https://www.totalprosports.com/nfl/stephen-a-smith-shannon-sharpe-has-not-signed-espn-rumor/ Buccaneers QB John Wolford taken to hospital after suffering neck injury vs. Jetshttps://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/buccaneers/2023/08/19/john-wolford-neck-injury-hospital/70634709007/ New Orleans Saints Tight End Jimmy Graham Arrested After Being Found Wandering In Traffic In Californiahttps://www.whiskeyriff.com/2023/08/19/new-orleans-saints-tight-end-jimmy-graham-arrested-after-being-found-wandering-in-traffic-in-california/ Dolly Parton reunites Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr for emotional 'Let It Be' coverhttps://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2023/08/18/dolly-parton-paul-mccartney-ringo-starr-beatles-cover/70621398007/ WGA & AMPTP To Meet Again Next Weekhttps://deadline.com/2023/08/wga-to-meet-again-next-week-with-amptp-strike-settlement-talks-1235523196/ Kid Rock spotted drinking Bud Light months after shooting up cans of it to protest Dylan Mulvaney partnershiphttps://www.foxnews.com/media/kid-rock-spotted-drinking-bud-light-months-after-shooting-up-cans-protest-dylan-mulvaney-partnership Miami Mayor Francis Suarez claims he's qualified for GOP presidential debate, but RNC can't confirmhttps://apnews.com/article/francis-suarez-miami-mayor-republican-debate-president-5898b380b1d239a94d9de358e72253b7 Spain beat England to win first Women's World Cuphttps://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/spain-lead-england-1-0-halftime-world-cup-final-2023-08-20/ Website: http://thisistheconversationproject.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/thisistheconversationproject Twitter: http://twitter.com/th_conversation TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@theconversationproject YouTube: http://thisistheconversationproject.com/youtube Podcast: http://thisistheconversationproject.com/podcasts #yournewssidepiece #coffeechat #morningnews ONE DAY OLDER ON AUGUST 21:Kim Cattrall (67)Carrie-Anne Moss (53)Kelis (44) WHAT HAPPENED TODAY:1858: The first of seven debates between U.S. Senate candidates Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas was held in Ottawa, Illinois.1959: President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed an executive order proclaiming Hawaii the 50th state of the union.2020: Korean pop group BTS released the single Dynamite. It became the first video to be watched more than 100 million times in 24 hours on YouTube. PLUS, TODAY WE CELEBRATE: Poet's Dayhttps://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/poets-day/

Welcome to the Instant Trivia podcast episode 691, where we ask the best trivia on the Internet. Round 1. Category: Whatchamacallit 1: On a pencil, the ferrule is the metal ring that holds this. the eraser. 2: A witch could tell you a besom is one of these with a cluster of brush or twigs on the end. a broom. 3: You're ready for a home project with a whole set of this tool that includes a trademark name. Allen wrenches. 4: Traditionally in India, a riding seat called a howdah is howdah person rides on the back of this animal. an elephant. 5: Hey cowboy! This term for the small spiked wheel on the end of a spur is from the Latin for "wheel". a rowel. Round 2. Category: The Cookie Aisle 1: Nabisco had the technology to make a Mega Stuf version of this cookie. Oreos. 2: This brand's E.L. Fudge cookies come in an elfin shape. Keebler. 3: These nautical cookies come in chunky as well as chewy varieties. Chips Ahoy!. 4: This Italian-named cookie from Pepperidge Farm comes in mint, orange and raspberry. Milanos. 5: This shortbread cookie has a literary heritage--it's named for a 19th century novel heroine. Lorna Doone. Round 3. Category: Beastly Movie Titles 1: Starring Jane Fonda:" blank Ballou". Cat. 2: A movie with "true grit":" blank Cogburn". Rooster. 3: Technology tracks and controls Shia LaBeouf:" blank Eye". Eagle. 4: A fantasy film by Tim Burton:"Big blank ". Fish. 5: Based on a true Australian story:" blank -Proof Fence". Rabbit. Round 4. Category: What's That On Your Head? 1: This Russian word for "grandmother" has come to mean a headscarf. a babushka. 2: The name of this piece of headwear comes from the French for "tuft of hair". a toupée. 3: Oleg Cassini dressed Jackie for JFK's inauguration while Halston put this style of hat on her head. a pillbox. 4: Boniface VIII is seen wearing this papal headgear, also a term for a princess's crown. a tiara. 5: Philip Treacy made the hats with this name that tells you that they capture and hold your attention. a fascinator. Round 5. Category: First Ladies 1: One of her early suitors was her husband's arch rival, Stephen A. Douglas. Mary Todd Lincoln. 2: (Hi, I'm Bellamy Young, and I play First Lady Mellie Grant on Scandal.) In 1962 millions of Americans tuned in as this First Lady took viewers on a televised "Tour of the White House". Jackie Kennedy. 3: Virginia Governor Charles Robb's mother-in-law. Lady Bird Johnson. 4: Her tough Texas husband preferred her nickname to calling her Claudia Alta. Lady Bird Johnson. 5: Only wife of 1 president and mother of another. Abigail Adams. Welcome to the Instant Trivia podcast episode 691, where we ask the best trivia on the Internet. Round 1. Category: Spot The Canadian 1: Neil Diamond,Neil Sedaka,Neil Young. Neil Young. 2: James Franco,Seth Rogen,Jason Segel. Seth Rogen. 3: Pavel Bure,Dino Ciccarelli,Jari Kurri. Dino Ciccarelli. 4: Kelly Ayotte,Kim Campbell,Kirsten Gillibrand. Kim Campbell. 5: Milton Friedman,John Kenneth Galbraith,John Maynard Keynes. John Kenneth Galbraith. Round 2. Category: Spot The Im‑Pasta 1: Conchiglie,consigliere,cappelletti. consigliere. 2: Manicotti,mineola,mostaccioli. Mineola. 3: Farando

We've talked about him many times throughout Wild Quincy's history, now we are diving deep into the "Little Giant" Stephen Douglas with author and Douglas aficionado Reg Ankrom. Check out all of Reg's books at the Quincy History Museum on the Square... for those not local, find them here. ------------------------------ Support Wild Quincy and you can unlock additional bonus content. Email us at wildquincy@gmail.com or call/text our listener comment line at (612) 666-9453. Don't forget to subscribe to Wild Quincy on the podcast player of your choosing so that you never miss an episode!

The phrase 'Young America' connoted territorial and commercial expansion in the antebellum United States. During the years leading up to the Civil War, it permeated various parts of the Democratic party, producing new perspectives in the realms of economics, foreign policy, and constitutionalism. Led by figures such as Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois and editor John L. O'Sullivan of New York, Young America Democrats gained power during the late 1840s and early 1850s. They challenged a variety of orthodox Jacksonian assumptions, influencing both the nation's foreign policy and its domestic politics. This 2007 book offers an exclusively political history of Young America's impact on the Democratic Party, complementing existing studies of the literary and cultural dimensions of this group. This close look at the Young America Democracy sheds light on the political realignments of the 1850s and the coming of the Civil War, in addition to showcasing the origins of America's longest existing political party.-Trained as an historian of nineteenth-century America, Dr. Eyal joined the Graduate School as its inaugural Director of Graduate Studies in 2015. He has served as a history professor and published a book and numerous articles and reviews on the politics of Jacksonian and Civil War America. An award-winning educator, he has taught undergraduate and graduate courses on the American Revolution, the Civil War and Reconstruction and topics in American political and intellectual history.

WRAM "Community Hour" interview with Reg Ankrom, author and historian, and special guest speaker at the Warren County History Museum on Friday, November 12, at which time he will address the political career of presidential candidate Stephen A. Douglas. (11/9/21)

It didn't take long for freshman Congressman Stephen A. Douglas to see the truth of Senator Thomas Hart Benton's warning: slavery attached itself to every measure that came before the U.S. Congress. Douglas wanted to expand the nation into an ocean-bound republic. Yet slavery and the violent conflicts it stirred always interfered, as it did in 1844 with his first bill to organize Nebraska. In 1848, when America acquired 550,000 square miles after the Mexican War, the fight began over whether the territory would be free or slave. Henry Clay, a slave owner who favored gradual emancipation, packaged territorial bills from Douglas's committee with four others. But Clay's "Omnibus Bill" failed. Exhausted, he left the Senate, leaving Douglas in control. Within two weeks, Douglas won passage of all eight bills, and President Millard Fillmore signed the Compromise of 1850. It was Douglas's greatest legislative achievement. This book, a sequel to the author's Stephen A. Douglas: The Political Apprenticeship, 1833-1843, fully details Douglas's early congressional career. The text chronicles how Douglas moved the issue of slavery from Congress to the ballot box.HOST:  Rob MellonFEATURED BREW:  The Calling Double IPA, Boulevard Brewing Company, Kansas City, MOBOOK:  Stephen A. Douglas, Western Man: The Early Years in Congress, 1844-1850https://www.amazon.com/Stephen-Douglas-Western-Man-1844-1850/dp/1476673764/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=stephen+a+douglas+western+man&qid=1621369013&sr=8-1MUSIC:  Bones Forkhttps://bonesfork.com/CLIPS: Illinois Stories featuring Stephen A. Douglas interpreter Gary DeClue

Can the way we consume information make us unable to tell truth from lies? Neil Postman thought so. In his book, Amusing Ourselves to Death, Postman says everything has been turned into entertainment: Our politics, religion, news, athletics, our commerce – even our education – have all been turned into forms of entertainment. This has weakened our ability to reason about society’s important questions. In this Amusing Ourselves to Death book summary, I’ll break down – in my own words – why Postman believes the shift from a society built around reading, to a society built around moving pictures and music, has devolved our discourse into a dangerous level of nonsense. America was built upon reading In 1854, in a lecture hall in Peoria, Illinois, Abraham Lincoln was in a debate. His debate opponent, Stephen A. Douglas, had just finished a three-hour speech. Lincoln reminded the audience it was 5 p.m., he himself would be speaking for at least three hours, and Douglas would get a chance to respond. He told the audience, Go home, have dinner, and come back for four more hours of lecture. Is today’s technology “nothing new?” Every time a new technology comes along, there are people who think the sky is falling. There are also people who say it’s nothing new. They’ll show you that old picture of men on a commuter train, with their faces buried in newspapers, or they might remind you Socrates worried people would be made forgetful by the breakthrough technology of: writing. If we think back to our own memories from ten or twenty years ago, we have to conclude that not much has changed. It’s different technology, with the same people. Yes, attention spans are shorter But this scene from Lincoln’s debate from more than 150 years ago is a stark contrast from today’s world. It’s hard to imagine ordinary citizens gathering in the local lecture hall to sit and listen to seven hours of debate, without so much as a smartphone to stay occupied if things got dull. What’s even more remarkable is neither Lincoln nor Douglas were presidential candidates at the time – they weren’t even candidates for the Senate. America was the most reading-focused culture ever Postman uses this lecture scene to paint a picture of what he says was probably the most print-oriented culture ever. Unlike in England, in Colonial America reading wasn’t an elitist activity. Postman estimates that the literacy rate for men in Massachusetts and Connecticut was around 90 or 95%. Farm boys plowed the fields with a book in hand, reading Shakespeare, Emerson, or Thoreau. Thomas Paine, who wrote the mega-best-selling Common Sense had little formal schooling, and before coming to America, had come from England’s lowest laboring class. Still, Paine wrote political philosophy on par with Voltaire and Rousseau. When Charles Dickens visited America in 1842, it was as if a movie star had visited. Dickens himself said, “There never was a King or Emperor upon earth so cheered and followed by the crowds.” Today’s media is built around images Since Amusing Ourselves to Death was written in the 1980’s, it’s not concerned with Facebook nor TikTok nor Twitter. It’s concerned with television. But as Marshall McLuhan said, “the medium is the message”, and the characteristics of the television medium translate well into the characteristics of today’s media. Today’s media isn’t built around words – it’s built around images. Television is images It’s easy to turn the channel on a television, or to turn the television off completely. They sit running in the house while people do other things. Remember from my Understanding Media summary that pieces of content within a medium compete with one another in what I summed up as a “Darwinian battle.” Only the strong survive, and to survive on television you need many moving pictures, changing every fraction of a second. Whatever content is put on television, it needs to be adapted to these demands. Internet media is images Extend that thinking to Instagram or YouTube. For your media to get noticed, you need eye-catching images. If it’s video, you need quick cuts, graphics, and music. Even where there are words, words are used as if they were images. Headlines are too short to carry much content, but are also misleading and hyperbolic. Our media shapes how we decide what is true Our media is how we share ideas. It’s how we have discussions about what is important. To decide what is important, we need to compare one fact to another. But to compare facts, we also need to agree upon what is true. The media is the metaphor Postman revises Marshall McLuhan’s famous statement, “the medium is the message.” As Postman points out, a message says something directly. It makes a concrete statement that can be agreed or disagreed with – a proposition. Media based around images is not sending messages that make concrete statements. So, Postman says “the medium is the metaphor.” Today’s media merely makes suggestions. By not making concrete statements, it’s open to interpretation. You may have heard various news stories referred to as “Rorschach tests.” In an actual Rorschach test, you look at something ambiguous – an ink blot – and that ambiguous thing serves as a metaphor for some idea. It makes you think of something. Our media, in being image-based instead of text-based, is ambiguous. It serves as a metaphor that’s open to interpretation. Pay attention the next time you see a news headline about a politician who said something. It will be accompanied by an image of that politician. Is that image actually of the moment that person said that thing? Usually not (not that it matters). It’s often not even from the same event. Instead, you’ll see an expression on the politician’s face. Whether it’s carefully chosen for the emotion it conveys, or chosen based upon click-through rate, it ascribes ambiguous meaning to the words in the headline. It’s a metaphor. And those who agree or don’t agree with what the politician said – or who merely identify or don’t identify with that politician’s party – will derive different meanings from that headline/image combination. Images cannot express the truth Here’s where our image-based culture becomes a problem. When our media is not making concrete statements that can be agreed or disagreed with, we can no longer distinguish fact from fiction. Our media is the basis of our – fancy word here – epistemology: How we decide what is true. What’s even more dangerous about images is that we think “seeing is believing.” If we see an image or a video of an incident, we take what we’ve seen – or rather how we’ve interpreted what we’ve seen – as the truth. But it’s open to interpretation. It’s a Rorschach test. The medium is the metaphor. I’m always reminded of this when I see campaigns where models share pre-Photoshop images of their bodies. It’s great we’re becoming aware of how images are manipulated, but at the root of this is one problem: Even the raw image is not the truth. No image is an objective representation of reality. It’s a picture, made by a camera. Three dimensions broken down into two. The fact that few seem to recognize this is troubling. The written word can express the truth As Postman argues, the written word – unlike images – can better express the truth. When you read long-form text, you follow a line of thought. You consume it in isolation, and have the mental resources available to consider whether the author is overgeneralizing, abusing logic, or exploiting biases. You can review things that are confusing, or notice contradictions. Postman recognizes that words are not infallible. There were newspapers in the 1830’s, such as New York’s Sun and Herald that mostly covered sensational events about crime and sex. But there were two major turning points in how we used the written word. One was the invention of the electric telegraph. Once information could be conveyed around the world within seconds, information became a commodity to be sold, and thus manufactured. The first American newspaper was three pages long and monthly. Our 24-hour news cycle is manufactured information. Another major turning point was when advertising ceased to be used to convey information. Instead of making statements that could be confirmed or refuted, advertisers started using – along with images such as babies in high chairs – slogans, or “nonpropositional” language. Words as images, if you will. Maybe the question about the model in the ad shouldn’t be about whether she or he is Photoshopped, but rather why they’re in the ad at all? The models in ads, Photoshopped or not, are not there to present factual statements – they are there to make nonpropositional statements. They are there to serve as metaphors. Our world is not “Orwellian.” It’s “Huxleyan.” When people worry about the quality of information in our media landscape, people often describe it as “Orwellian.” What they’re suggesting is that our media is like that of George Orwell’s 1984, where a totalitarian power controls information through tactics such as eliminating words from language, rewriting history, and distributing disinformation. By controlling information, this totalitarian power controls the people. But Postman says our world is not Orwellian. Rather, it’s “Huxleyan.” In Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, the people aren’t so much oppressed by the government’s control of information. Instead, they’re oppressed by their own addiction to entertainment. If you haven’t read Brave New World, it’s worth reading. A genetically-engineered society of various castes – all grown in labs, with no mothers, fathers, or family – spends most of its time flying in helicopters to mini-golf courses, having sex with one another, and escaping reality by taking a drug called “soma.” (If you’ve ever heard the Strokes’ song, “Soma,” you know based upon the lyrics “soma is what they would take when hard times opened their eyes.”) The society presented in Brave New World is a slightly less idiotic form of the society presented in Mike Judge’s movie, Idiocracy. Entertainment itself is not dangerous – if you know it’s entertainment Postman isn’t an old man telling the kids to get off his lawn – though he may sound like it sometimes. He’s not trying to say there should be no television at all. What he’s saying is the characteristics of the medium of television are such that everything on it has to be presented as entertainment. Think about the television news. Presumably, we watch the news for information – to be informed and make rational decisions about our lives and our society. But why do news programs have a theme song? It plays when it opens, it plays when it closes, it plays before and after commercial breaks. They play similar music when presenting “breaking news.” Music creates a mood. The only reason there could be for a news show to have music – not to mention the cool graphics – is because a news show is entertainment. “Now ... this” The TV news is a good analogy for Postman’s view of our world – which is fitting since he sees the media landscape as shaping discourse. On television news, you might see coverage of a horrific bus crash. You see aerial footage of the wreckage, as the newscaster tells you fifteen people met their fiery demise. That takes a few seconds, then the newscaster says, “Now ... this.” And we cut to the five day forecast. “Now ... this,” sums up the 1985 media landscape for Postman. Instead of long expanses of text that make cohesive arguments, it’s one image, then another image, with no connection between the two. “Now ... this.” When our media does not convey messages, but instead only ambiguous metaphors, and when the statements made by those metaphors aren’t connected, there’s no hope for reason. The “peek-a-boo” world Postman also calls it the “peek-a-boo” world, like a child’s game of peek-a-boo. One event after another pops into view for a moment, then vanishes. It’s entertaining, but it asks nothing of us. Referring again to the world as Huxleyian rather than Orwellian, Postman says: there is no Newspeak here. Lies have not been defined as truth nor truth as lies. All that has happened is that the public has adjusted to incoherence and been amused into indifference. People might say that lies today are indeed defined as truth. But remember, the media is the metaphor. What is a lie to one person is somehow interpreted as the truth to another. There’s no foundation upon which to distinguish lies from the truth because, per Postman’s thesis, our discourse has devolved into nonsense. The dominant medium shapes all other media You might have caught a contradiction in this summary: The Lincoln/Douglas debate was spoken word, not written words. Isn’t Postman’s argument that America was founded as a highly-literate society? What’s impressive about the Lincoln/Douglas debates isn’t just the attention span it demonstrated in the populace, but also the complexity of the sentences that audience was able to follow. As I mentioned in my Understanding Media summary, I change the way I write based upon how it will sound on the podcast. I don’t think of it as “dumbing down” – but I recognize that our media landscape is predominantly images and audio, and that people listen in distracting environments. The dominant form of media shapes the rest of the media. America before images only had words As Postman illustrates the Lincoln/Douglas debate, he argues that since the audience consumed mostly long-form written media, they were able to understand extremely complex language. For example, one sentence Lincoln said: “It will readily occur to you that I cannot, in half an hour, notice all the things that so able a man as Judge Douglas can say in an hour and a half; and I hope, therefore, if there be anything that he has said upon which you would like to hear something from me, but which I omit to comment upon, you will bear in mind that it would be expecting an impossibility for me to cover his whole ground.” Huh? Keep in mind, at the time of these debates in the 1850’s – aside from live events such as this one – there was only printed stuff. Not only were there no smartphones nor television nor true crime podcasts, there was no radio, no movies, and there weren’t even photographs! People on the street wouldn’t have recognized James Madison Imagine this striking observation by Postman: Each of the first fifteen U.S. presidents could have walked down the street, and the average person wouldn’t have recognized them. Our leaders were only known for their words, not for their appearance. Contrast that to today’s political landscape, where our politicians have to look the right way in the television debates. They also better be able to dish out sick burns on Twitter. A final quote from Postman: Americans no longer talk to each other, they entertain each other. They do not exchange ideas; they exchange images. They do not argue with propositions; they argue with good looks, celebrities and commercials. There’s your Amusing Ourselves to Death summary Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business was published in 1985. This media theory classic – alongside Understanding Media, which I talked about on episode 248 – is more relevant than ever. I hope you enjoyed this summary. Mind Management, Not Time Management now available! After nearly a decade of work, Mind Management, Not Time Management is now available! This book will show you how to manage your mental energy to be productive when creativity matters. Buy it now! My Weekly Newsletter: Love Mondays Start off each week with a dose of inspiration to help you make it as a creative. Sign up at: kadavy.net/mondays. About Your Host, David Kadavy David Kadavy is author of Mind Management, Not Time Management, The Heart to Start and Design for Hackers. Through the Love Your Work podcast, his Love Mondays newsletter, and self-publishing coaching David helps you make it as a creative. Follow David on: Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Subscribe to Love Your Work Apple Podcasts Overcast Spotify Stitcher YouTube RSS Email Support the show on Patreon Put your money where your mind is. Patreon lets you support independent creators like me. Support now on Patreon »     Show notes: http://kadavy.net/blog/posts/amusing-ourselves-to-death-book-summary-neil-postman

The election of 1860 was strife with sectionalism. The North and South could not agree on their candidiates and we subsequently saw 4 presidential hopefuls:1. John Breckinridge who was from Kentucky and had served as James Buchanan’s Vice President. (Southern Democrat, slave owner)2. Stephen A. Douglas, Senator from Illinois (Northern Democrat)3. John Bell, effectively a slavery neutral candidate (Constitutional Union Party)4. Abraham Lincoln, a former Whig who had served in the Illinois state legislature and served one term in the House of Representatives. (Represented the new Republican Party)Here about all the issues surrounding this election, who won which states and why, as well as the aftermath and challenges of the newly elected president. Take a listen to see how tensions are rising, secession is starting, and the inevitability of Civil War in the United States is becoming very clear.There is always more to learn!

Fergus Bordewich on Congress at War For more information go to: WWW.CWRTChiago.org "Congress at War" tells the story of how the oft-maligned U.S. Congress helped win the Civil War a new perspective that puts the House and Senate, rather than President Lincoln, at the center of the conflict. This perspective on the Civil War overturns the popular conception that Abraham Lincoln single-handedly led the Union to victory and gives us a vivid account of the essential role Congress played in winning the war. Building a riveting narrative around four influential members of Congress Thaddeus Stevens, Pitt Fessenden, Ben Wade, and the pro-slavery Clement Vallandigham Fergus Bordewich shows us how a newly empowered Republican party shaped one of the most dynamic and consequential periods in American history. From reinventing the nation s financial system to pushing President Lincoln to emancipate the slaves to the planning for Reconstruction, Congress undertook drastic measures to defeat the Confederacy, in the process laying the foundation for a strong central government that came fully into being in the twentieth century. FERGUS M. BORDEWICH is the author of eight non-fiction books, including CONGRESS AT WAR: How Republican Reformers Fought The Civil War, Defied Lincoln, Ended Slavery, And Remade America, (Alfred A. Knopf, 2020); AMERICA'S GREAT DEBATE: Henry Clay, Stephen A. Douglas, and the Compromise that Preserved the Union (Simon & Schuster, 2012. Winner of the 2012 Los Angeles Times History Prize); and BOUND FOR CANAAN: The Underground Railroad and the War for the Soul of America (Amistad/HarperCollins, 2005). He lives in San Francisco, CA with his wife, Jean Parvin Bordewich.

About this episode:  The year was 1860. The nation was coming apart and yet, its political parties made plans to come together - to gather in convention despite deep-seated and festering sectional issues, each to nominate a candidate and approve platforms that, as it turned out, united regions but not a nation. That meant dark consequences, ensuring this country would reap a cataclysmic whirlwind. With today’s polarization as an historical backdrop, this is the story of the most divisive presidential election in the history of this nation - the election of 1860. ----more----   Some Characters Mentioned In This Episode:  Stephen A. Douglas William Lowndes Yancey William Henry Seward Richard J. Oglesby John C. Breckinridge John Bell   Additional References In This Episode: Map of Final Election Results, 1860   Get The Guide: Want to learn more about the Civil War? A great place to start is Fred's guide, The Civil War: A History of the War between the States from Workman Publishing. The guide is in its 9th printing.   Producer: Dan Irving

To stay with the theme of Debates, Connor brings his High School Debate coach, Alli Martin, on the show to discuss various topics. Connor competed nationally in debate and talks about the lessons and skills he learned then that are still with him today. He also asks Alli what are the issues that matter most to her and why. Alli is an activist and advocate in the community helping to amplify the voices of those often unheard. They focus on LGBTQ rights and race in America. They discuss “white privilege” and pose the question if benefitting from a racist system makes you a “racist.” Dr. Alli Martin: Alli (she, her, hers) works as an Assistant Principal at Horizonte Instruction and Training Center in Salt Lake City School District. She earned a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University of Utah. Alli serves as a member of the Board of Governors for the Human Rights Campaign and is a co-founding member of Friends, Allies, and Mentors of the LGBTQ community (FAM). Through her work with FAM, Alli regularly provides professional learning experiences to educators on issues of intersectionality and LGBTQ youth. ***Correction: Abraham Lincoln ran and against Stephen A. Douglas and others in the general election for the Presidency in 1860. They also faced each other in a race for the Illinois Senate in 1858 (A race that Douglas won). It is in this election for senator that their now famous “Lincoln-Douglas” debates were held.***

Date: May 12, 1972 Speaker: Damon Wells, Jr. Topic: Stephen A. Douglas and the South - Chicago Civil War Round Table Monthly Meeting

Author, historian and filmmaker Dr. Graham Peck speaks about his award winning book, Making and Antislavery Nation. The conversation covers the early controversy over slavery in the United States, including the agreements to maintain the Union. The Compromise of 1820 and 1850 are discussed in detail. Dr. Peck does a masterful job of articulating the vision and philosophy of both Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas. He explains idea of Manifest Destiny and the issues with the territorial expansion of the United States including the Louisiana Purchase and the land acquired from Mexico after the Mexican War. He also describes the importance of Illinois in the national political landscape of the 1850s. Peck includes the rise of the Republican Party, the Election of 1856, and the impact of the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates on the national dialog on slavery. He concludes with the Election of 1860 to include Stephen Douglas's nationalist vision of America and Lincoln's belief in American democracy.HOST: Rob MellonFEATURED BREW: Pabst Blue Ribbon, Pabst Brewing Company, Los Angeles, CABOOK: Making an Antislavery Nation: Lincoln, Douglas, and the Battle Over Freedom, University of Illinois Press, 2017WEBSITE: www.civilwarprof.comMUSIC: Bones Fork

Historian and author Reg Ankrom discusses his book Stephen A. Douglas: The Political Apprenticeship 1833-1843. The talk includes the early days of Douglas and his move west to Illinois. Reg details the political growth of the "Little Giant" and describes his competition with Abraham Lincoln. He also describes the nature of Stephen Douglas's engagement to Mary Todd (Lincoln). The discussion includes Douglas's time as the State's Attorney and Justice on the Illinois Supreme Court. The episode covers the Illinois politician's life in Jacksonville, Springfield and Quincy.Host: Rob MellonFeatured Brew: Prairie Path Golden Ale (Two Brothers Brewing Company)Music: Bones Fork

On this week’s episode of the Under the Dome Podcast the State Journal-Register’s Bernard Schoenburg and Doug Finke work remotely to bring you the latest updates from the Illinois Statehouse and Illinois' response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On this episode they dive into Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan calling for the removal of statues and portraits of the 19th century U.S. Senator Stephen A. Douglas from the Statehouse, they discuss Kristin Richards, the current Chief of Staff to the Senate President, being named the new director of the Illinois Department of Employment Security and lastly they dive into the Vote No on the Progressive Tax Coalition an organization representing small businesses and farmers that added their voices to the fight to defeat Gov. JB Pritzker’s plan to bring a progressive income tax to the state. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

About this episode:  Three of her four children did not live to adulthood, and her husband was assassinated while he held her hand. If anyone ever deserved to be troubled, it was the wife of the sixteenth president. James Cornelius, curator of the Lincoln Collection at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield, Illinois said simply: “She had the most tragic public life in American history.” This is the story of the woman who once said, “I wish I could forget myself.” This is the story of Mary Ann Todd Lincoln. ----more----   Some Characters Mentioned In This Episode:  Elizabeth Todd Edwards Stephen A. Douglas Robert Todd Lincoln William Henry Seward Tad Lincoln Elizabeth Keckley   Get The Guide: Want to learn more about the Civil War? A great place to start is Fred's guide, The Civil War: A History of the War between the States from Workman Publishing. The guide is in its 9th printing.   Producer: Dan Irving

In this episode, we visit with Lincoln presenter George Buss in his hometown of Freeport, Illinois. George has been portraying Lincoln for more than 30 years and proudly serves as the official Lincoln of Gettysburg. George loves Freeport because it's a town steeped in Lincoln history. It was here, on August 27 th , 1858, that Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas held the second of their seven debates. This debate is infamous for Douglas's introduction of the Freeport Doctrine, which helped him defeat Lincoln in that race, but propelled Lincoln to the presidency just two years later. We also talk to Nicole Bauer, president of Freeport's Lincoln-Douglas Society, who discusses the debate's 150th anniversary celebration in 2008 and its impact on Freeport. Then it's off to Lena Brewing Company, where George and I sip some delicious beer and discuss what led him to become Lincoln. We go over his travels, the research involved, and what he loves most about portraying the 16th president. As

In the mid-20th century, it was fashionable for historians to speak of a “Blundering Generation” of pre-Civil War politicians, people who—well intended or not—made a long series of foolish and short-sighted mistakes. They made blunders that make for wonderfully detailed political histories “from below,” as it were, but what appear to be mistakes were often intentional, and what appear to be great men were often just the schemers whose plans succeeded in the end.Who is the worst politician to come out of Illinois? Who were the “F Street Mess”? What happened to the Whig party between 1852 and 1856? Who were the first Republicans? Was the Civil War avoidable?Further Reading:Stephen A. Douglas: A Featured BiographyStephen A. Douglas, History ChannelWhat Can the Collapse of the Whig Party Tell Us About Today’s Politics?, Smithsonian MagazineMusic by Kai EngelRelated Content:Whiggery’s Last Gasp, Liberty Chronicles EpisodeWas Frederick Douglass a Libertarian?, Liberty Chronicles Episosde See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The passing of the Kansas-Nebraska act in 1854 opened up a new battlefront in the United States between those for and against the institution of slavery. Senator Stephen A. Douglas, who sponsored the bill, supported the notion of popular sovereignty; that the people who lived in a certain territory could decide by themselves whether or not to allow slavery. In so doing, he began a race between rebellious free-staters and resistant pro-slavery partisans to claim Kansas as their own, which lead to an outburst of violence that history remembers as the Bleeding of Kansas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode, we give Willard Richards his very own NaMo Nickname and read his whitewashed history of Jo’s arrest and court hearing in June of 1841. Jo had found some way to squirrel himself out from under nearly every legal trouble with which he was accused since he’d started the religion 11 years prior to this and his lawyers saw it fit to stick with the trend. We discuss how the trial of the prophet was seen by local periodicals and the Warsaw Signal’s reaction to the increasing political power wielded by Jo and the church. After that we have on Gottfried to discuss Isaiah in the Book of Mormon from a nuanced perspective and finish up with a very brief listener mail segment spurring a much-needed correction. Links: Missouri Joint Fact-Finding Committee report https://www.sos.mo.gov/cmsimages/archives/resources/findingaids/fulltext/f01_f01-06.pdf Stephen A. Douglas: The Political Apprenticeship by Reg Ankrom https://books.google.com/books?id=sLEGCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA167&lpg=PA167&dq=sheriff+thomas+king+1841&source=bl&ots=s1YLeZyLgj&sig=_Lz0HdyCqtzBcTsY9d_kfmT5XOA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjd0M3G4pLZAhUDwWMKHSQrCogQ6AEIUzAM#v=onepage&q=sheriff%20thomas%20king%201841&f=false Times & Seasons June 1841 http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/NCMP1820-1846/id/9099 Warsaw Signal 1841 archive http://www.sidneyrigdon.com/dbroadhu/il/sign1841.htm Calvin (Charles) Warren, Esq. http://www.josephsmithpapers.org/person/calvin-averill-warren 1841 Growing Conflict in Illinois https://www.lds.org/manual/church-history-in-the-fulness-of-times-student-manual/chapter-twenty-one?lang=eng Joseph Smith and the Criminal Justice System https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Smith_and_the_criminal_justice_system Nauvoo Charter https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Nauvoo_Charter 1841 articles Missouri News Articles http://www.sidneyrigdon.com/dbroadhu/MO/Miss1841.htm#061941 1841 Quincy Whig http://www.sidneyrigdon.com/dbroadhu/IL/whig1841.htm#0612 MyBoM Episode 190 - Gottfried Comment https://mybookofmormonpodcast.com/2018/01/13/190/#comments Isaiah Variants in BoM https://rsc.byu.edu/archived/isaiah-and-prophets-inspired-voices-old-testament/isaiah-variants-book-mormon Show links: Website http://nakedmormonismpodcast.com Twitter @NakedMormonism Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Naked-Mormonism/370003839816311 Patreon http://patreon.com/nakedmormonism Music by Jason Comeau http://aloststateofmind.com/ Show Artwork http://weirdmormonshit.com/ Legal Counsel http://patorrez.com/

Peoria, Illinois, July 28th, 2017, continued ~ Dedicated to Shannon Harrod Reyes I leave the library and begin my afternoon's site searches at the Peoria County Courthouse. Abraham Lincoln visited this courthouse many times over the years, on some occasions in his capacity as a lawyer and other times in association with his political career. There's a statue of Lincoln here commemorating a particularly notable occasion: his delivery of a speech from the front portico of the old courthouse on October 16, 1854. This speech was composed and delivered in opposition to the Kansas-Nebraska Act, co-authored by Stephen A. Douglas. The Peoria Speech, as it's now known, was part of a series that took place during that legislative election season where Douglas and Lincoln addressed and rebutted each other's arguments, sometimes during the same event, sometimes separately. Their exchange would be revived four years later, notably in the series of seven formal debates of 1858. Douglas won that year's Senate election with 54% of the vote, but Lincoln distinguished himself so well in that campaign season that he won the larger prize two years later. He was elected President in 1860, handily defeating his closest rival Douglas with a 10%+ lead...

Peter Kreten sits down with Dr. Graham Peck from the department of History at Saint Xavier University. Dr. Peck discusses Stephen A. Douglas, and how the field of history is embracing technology in research.

April 15, 2016 - It’s History in Five Friday, presented by Simon & Schuster. Our guest is Fergus Bordewich , and his book is, The First Congress: How James Madison, George Washington, and a Group of Extraordinary Men Invented the Government. It’s the monumental story of the most productive Congress in US history, in 1789–1791, which we first explored with Fergus in our recent interview, which you can still find at HistoryAuthor.com, iTunes, iHeartRadio, or wherever you're listening. Mr. Fergus Bordewich is the author of six previous books including, America’s Great Debate — Henry Clay, Stephen A. Douglas, and The Compromise that Preserved the Union, Washington: The Making of the American Capital, and Bound for Canaan: The Underground Railroad and the War for the Soul of America. You learn more about these and his other titles at FergusBordewich.com. Simon & Schuster’s History in Five Friday. It’s the perfect way to kick off your modern weekend…with people from the past.

April 4, 2016 - Today, our time machine is whisking us back to the very earliest days of America's republic. Our guest is Fergus Bordewich , and his book is, The First Congress: How James Madison, George Washington, and a Group of Extraordinary Men Invented the Government. It's the untold story of the most productive Congress in US history, in 1789–1791. Mr. Fergus Bordewich is the author of six previous books including, America's Great Debate -- Henry Clay, Stephen A. Douglas, and The Compromise that Preserved the Union, Washington: The Making of the American Capital, and Bound for Canaan: The Underground Railroad and the War for the Soul of America. You learn more about these and his other titles at FergusBordewich.com.          

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/presidential-academy/Session+15+Guelzo.mp3 Focus What does Stephen Douglas mean by "popular sovereignty"? Why does Lincoln view the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 as a reversal of American policy towards domestic slavery? How does "indifference" about the spread of slavery amount to "covert real zeal" for its spread? How does Lincoln justify previous national compromises with slavery? What is Lincoln's definition of self-government and how does it inform his political rhetoric and policy proposals? What is Lincoln's definition of democracy? What role does Lincoln think the Declaration of Independence plays in contemporary political practice? Why does Lincoln advise against a Republican call for repeal of the fugitive slave law? What connection does Lincoln make between liberty, union, and the Constitution?   Readings Stephen A. Douglas, "Homecoming Speech at Chicago" (July 9, 1858) Fornieri, The Language of Liberty Eulogy on Henry Clay (July 6, 1852) Speech at Peoria, Illinois (October 16, 1854) Fragment: On Slavery [August 1, 1858?] Fragment: On Slavery [October 1, 1858?] Fragment: Notes for Speeches [October 1, 1858?] Letter to Henry L. Pierce and others (April 6, 1859) Letter to Jesse W. Fell (December 20, 1859) Fragment: The Constitution, the Declaration, and the Union [1860?] Letters to Salmon Portland Chase (June 9, 1859& June 20, 1859) Supplemental/Optional Readings Jaffa, Crisis of the House Divided, Epigrams, p. 15, and chaps. 3, 4 McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom, chap. 6 The post Session 15: Lincoln Confronts Stephen Douglas’s Popular Sovereignty appeared first on Teaching American History.

On March 3, 2011, Daniel Crofts delivered a Banner Lecture entitled "The Diary of a Public Man and Abraham Lincoln." "The Diary of a Public Man," published anonymously in several installments in the North American Review in 1879, claimed to offer verbatim accounts of secret conversations with Abraham Lincoln, William H. Seward, and Stephen A. Douglas—among others—in the weeks just before the start of the Civil War. Despite repeated attempts to decipher the diary, historians never have been able to pinpoint its author or determine its authenticity. Part detective story, part biography, and part a detailed narrative of events in early 1861, A Secession Crisis Enigma presents a compelling answer to an enduring mystery. Dr. Crofts is a professor of history at The College of New Jersey. (Introduction by Paul A. Levengood) The content and opinions expressed in these presentations are solely those of the speaker and not necessarily of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.

On March 24, 2011, Douglas R. Egerton delivered a Banner Lecture entitled Year of Meteors: Stephen Douglas, Abraham Lincoln, and the Election that Brought on the Civil War. In Year of Meteors, Douglas R. Egerton recreates the tumultuous presidential election year of 1860, which upset every conventional expectation and split the American political system beyond repair. At the beginning of the year, Senator Stephen A. Douglas, leader of the Democrats, the only party with a large following in both North and South, seemed poised to win. By fall the Democratic Party had disintegrated, enabling the upstart Republicans to put an untried but canny dark horse candidate in the White House. Year of Meteors tells the story of Abraham Lincoln's rise to power and the series of events that led to secession and ultimately civil war. Dr. Egerton teaches history at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, N.Y.(Introduction by Nelson D. Lankford) The content and opinions expressed in these presentations are solely those of the speaker and not necessarily of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.