A statement made by Stephen Douglas during the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858. He argued that despite the Dred Scott decision, people could still keep slavery out of their territories by refusing to pass laws supporting it.
It's like your parents telling you can't have a pet dog but you find a loophole by fostering dogs instead. The Freeport Doctrine was Douglas' way of finding a loophole around the Dred Scott decision.
Popular Sovereignty: The principle that the authority of a state and its government are created and sustained by the consent of its people, through their elected representatives. This is what Douglas believed should determine whether or not territories allowed slavery.
Stephen A. Douglas: An American politician from Illinois who designed the Kansas-Nebraska Act. He was also Abraham Lincoln's opponent in several political races including for presidency.
Lincoln-Douglas Debates: A series of seven debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas during their campaign for Illinois senatorial race in 1858 where they discussed issues such as popular sovereignty and slavery.
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