Stephen Douglas - the Designer of the Kansas–nebraska Act, Family and Family
Stephen Douglas's Personal Details
Stephen Douglas was an American politician - a U
| Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birthday | April 23, 1813 |
| Died on | June 3, 1861 |
| Nationality | American |
| Famous | Democrats, Leaders, Political Leaders, the Designer of the Kansas–nebraska Act |
| Ideologies | Democrats |
| Nick names | Little Giant |
| Spouses | Martha Denny Martin, Rose Adele Cutts |
| Siblings | Sarah |
| Known as | Stephen A. Douglas |
| Childrens | Ellen, Jr., rnold Douglas, Robert Martin Douglas, Stephen A |
| Universities |
|
| Birth Place | Brandon |
| Political Ideology | Democratic Party |
| Gender | Male |
| Father | Stephen Arnold Douglass |
| Mother | Sarah Fisk |
| Sun Sign | Taurus |
| Born in | Brandon |
| Famous as | The Designer of the Kansas–Nebraska Act |
| Died at Age | 48 |
Stephen Douglas's photo
Who is Stephen Douglas?
Stephen Douglas was a US Senator known for the ‘Freeport Doctrine’. He was popularly known as ‘Little Giant’, because he was short in physique but was an eminent, political figure in the 19th century. He was actively involved in the ‘Young America Movement’ that wanted to supplant the dogmas and the tenets of the past with a young and a more effective political system. He also ran for President opposite, Abraham Lincoln, who was a Republican candidate, but failed to make it. As a party leader, he was known to have been extremely quick-witted and skillful, with great control over his oratory skills. He was dexterous in terms of political issues and worked towards popularizing the principle of ‘popular sovereignty’. His long and fruitful career also involved him working for the US Senate, where he was responsible for settling slavery-related issues and also endorsed the ‘Dred Scott’ decision. Apart from his political career, the ‘Lincoln-Douglas Debates’ that he held time-and-again with his long-time rival, Abraham Lincoln, became some of the most famous in history and came to be known as the ‘debates that defined America’.
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Childhood & Early Life
Stephen Arnold Douglas was born on April 23, 1813 to Sarah Fisk and Arnold Douglass, in Brandon, Vermont.
When he was a teenager, he made cabinets, but the appeal of law and political studies got him to quit this craft.
In 1833, he shifted to Ohio and then Winchester, Illinois, where he studied for legal studies, while simultaneously working as a teacher.
He passed his bar examinations in 1834 and established his own practice in Jacksonville.
Career
In 1836, he was elected into the Illinois House of Representatives, which marked the beginning of his political career. In the next few years, he became a leader of the Illinois Democrats.
In 1841, at the age of 27, he was appointed as an associate justice of the Illinois Supreme Court. He resigned from this position after he was elected as a US Representative, two years later.
He was elected as a US Senator in 1846 and the next year, he became a member of the House of Representatives.
In the sectional crisis of 1850, he became one of the strongest supporters of ‘compromise’. However the ‘compromise’ bill was defeated.
By 1852, he was considered one of the Democrats’ national leaders. It was in this year he contended for the ‘Democratic presidential nomination’, but was ‘passed over’ for Franklin Pierce.
He was re-elected to the Senate in 1853, during which time he ardently advocated the railroad expansion. He was responsible to formulate the ‘land grant system’ to fund the Illinois Central track.
He sent up a radical cataclysm with the ‘Kansas-Nebraska Act’ in 1854. During this time, he also supported the prohibition of slavery through the ‘Missouri Compromise’ and also beseeched the highly ostracized belief of ‘popular sovereignty’.
During this period, Republican candidate, Abraham Lincoln verbally attacked him in three public speeches pertaining to the issues of anti-slavery. This became one of the many debates that went on to be later known as the ‘Lincoln-Douglas’ debates.
In 1856, Douglas became a candidate for the ‘Presidential nomination’ and a highly popular candidate at the convention. His ‘popular sovereignty’ principle that slavery should be controlled by states individually appealed to a very small mass of society.
However, with the declaration of the ‘Dred Scott decision’, Douglas’ party was denied ‘popular sovereignty’ and was denied the rights to abolish slavery in certain parts of the country.
He faced a dilemma. If he rejected ‘Dred Scott’, he would lose votes for his presidency and if he accepted it, he would lose whatever support he already had.
In 1858, he decided to run for the US Senate and so did the Republican candidate, Abraham Lincoln. The two decided to make appearances together and would debate, which came to be collectively known as the ‘Lincoln-Douglas Debates’. In the legislative elections that year, the Democrats won by a narrow margin.
In 1860, Douglas was chosen as a candidate for presidency but due to the split between Southern and Northern Democrats, the tension in the party increased, which led to Abraham Lincoln’s eventual success. Douglas placed second in the popular voting but placed last in electoral votes.
Towards the end of his life, he got back into the Senate and gave his full support to the Lincoln government. At the new president’s bid, he went on an undertaking to the Midwest and the Border states to awaken the spirit of Unionism.
Personal Life & Legacy
In 1847, he married Martha Martin, with whom he had two sons; Robert M. Douglas and Stephen Arnold Douglas, Jr. During the birth of the couple’s third child, Martha passed away and so did the baby girl, the latter dying weeks after her birth.
In 1856, he married Adele Cutts, with whom he had a daughter, but who also survived only for a few weeks. She also suffered a miscarriage which weakened her immunity.
He passed away in Chicago after suffering from typhoid fever. He is interred on the shore of Lake Michigan. After his death, a monument and a tomb were erected in his memory, in 1883.
The place of his birth was venerated as a Museum and Visitor Center and number of counties in Nevada, Washington and Kansas (to name a few) were named after him.
His character and life has been the subject of a number of films including, ‘Young Mr. Lincoln’, ‘Abe Lincoln in Illinois’ and the film ‘Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter’.
Trivia
This famous American politician courted Mary Todd, who later became the wife of his arch rival and presidential opponent, Abraham Lincoln.
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Stephen Douglas biography timelines
- // 23rd Apr 1813Stephen Arnold Douglas was born on April 23, 1813 to Sarah Fisk and Arnold Douglass, in Brandon, Vermont.
- // 1833In 1833, he shifted to Ohio and then Winchester, Illinois, where he studied for legal studies, while simultaneously working as a teacher.
- // 1834He passed his bar examinations in 1834 and established his own practice in Jacksonville.
- // 1836In 1836, he was elected into the Illinois House of Representatives, which marked the beginning of his political career. In the next few years, he became a leader of the Illinois Democrats.
- // 1841In 1841, at the age of 27, he was appointed as an associate justice of the Illinois Supreme Court. He resigned from this position after he was elected as a US Representative, two years later.
- // 1846He was elected as a US Senator in 1846 and the next year, he became a member of the House of Representatives.
- // 1847In 1847, he married Martha Martin, with whom he had two sons; Robert M. Douglas and Stephen Arnold Douglas, Jr. During the birth of the couple’s third child, Martha passed away and so did the baby girl, the latter dying weeks after her birth.
- // 1850In the sectional crisis of 1850, he became one of the strongest supporters of ‘compromise’. However the ‘compromise’ bill was defeated.
- // 1852By 1852, he was considered one of the Democrats’ national leaders. It was in this year he contended for the ‘Democratic presidential nomination’, but was ‘passed over’ for Franklin Pierce.
- // 1853He was re-elected to the Senate in 1853, during which time he ardently advocated the railroad expansion. He was responsible to formulate the ‘land grant system’ to fund the Illinois Central track.
- // 1854He sent up a radical cataclysm with the ‘Kansas-Nebraska Act’ in 1854. During this time, he also supported the prohibition of slavery through the ‘Missouri Compromise’ and also beseeched the highly ostracized belief of ‘popular sovereignty’.
- // 1856In 1856, Douglas became a candidate for the ‘Presidential nomination’ and a highly popular candidate at the convention. His ‘popular sovereignty’ principle that slavery should be controlled by states individually appealed to a very small mass of society.
- // 1856In 1856, he married Adele Cutts, with whom he had a daughter, but who also survived only for a few weeks. She also suffered a miscarriage which weakened her immunity.
- // 1858In 1858, he decided to run for the US Senate and so did the Republican candidate, Abraham Lincoln. The two decided to make appearances together and would debate, which came to be collectively known as the ‘Lincoln-Douglas Debates’. In the legislative elections that year, the Democrats won by a narrow margin.
- // 1860In 1860, Douglas was chosen as a candidate for presidency but due to the split between Southern and Northern Democrats, the tension in the party increased, which led to Abraham Lincoln’s eventual success. Douglas placed second in the popular voting but placed last in electoral votes.
- // 1883He passed away in Chicago after suffering from typhoid fever. He is interred on the shore of Lake Michigan. After his death, a monument and a tomb were erected in his memory, in 1883.
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Stephen Douglas's FAQ
What is Stephen Douglas birthday?
Stephen Douglas was born at 1813-04-23
When was Stephen Douglas died?
Stephen Douglas was died at 1861-06-03
Where was Stephen Douglas died?
Stephen Douglas was died in Chicago
Which age was Stephen Douglas died?
Stephen Douglas was died at age 48
Where is Stephen Douglas's birth place?
Stephen Douglas was born in Brandon
What is Stephen Douglas nationalities?
Stephen Douglas's nationalities is American
What is Stephen Douglas ideologies?
Stephen Douglas's ideologies is Democrats
What is Stephen Douglas nick names?
Stephen Douglas's nickNames is Little Giant
Who is Stephen Douglas spouses?
Stephen Douglas's spouses is Martha Denny Martin, Rose Adele Cutts
Who is Stephen Douglas siblings?
Stephen Douglas's siblings is Sarah
Who is Stephen Douglas childrens?
Stephen Douglas's childrens is Ellen, Jr., rnold Douglas, Robert Martin Douglas, Stephen A
What was Stephen Douglas universities?
Stephen Douglas studied at Brandon Academy, Canandaigua Academy
What is Stephen Douglas's political ideology?
Stephen Douglas's political ideology is Democratic Party
Who is Stephen Douglas's father?
Stephen Douglas's father is Stephen Arnold Douglass
Who is Stephen Douglas's mother?
Stephen Douglas's mother is Sarah Fisk
What is Stephen Douglas's sun sign?
Stephen Douglas is Taurus
How famous is Stephen Douglas?
Stephen Douglas is famouse as The Designer of the Kansas–Nebraska Act