Lincoln-Douglas Debate
Lincoln-Douglas debate (or LD Debate for short) is a solo style of debate in which the debater must construct a case which makes an affirmative or negative moral judgment regarding a specific situation. Lincoln-Douglas debate is considered to be a balance between logic and reasoning skills, research-based support, effective use of rhetoric and oratory, and the strategic control of ideas and arguments. Like with Policy debate, Lincoln-Douglas debaters are expected to be able to argue in favor of both positions (Affirmative and Negative).

Unlike policy debate, Lincoln-Douglas debate is largely limited to the high-school circuit, though the style is more congruent with commonly recognized formats of public debate. The activity draws it inspirations from the seven debates between Stephen A. Douglas and Abraham Lincoln that occurred in 1856 in Illinois; the debates then concerned the topic of slavery in the antebellum conflict between North and South.

As a high school activity, Lincoln-Douglas debate aims to give students primers in various social sciences as well as the use and function of argument. Students are expected to do independent research, synthesize the reading into concise cases, deliver the cases persuasively, and be prepared to rebut the case of an opponent. Accordingly, a wide variety of academic skills are honed in combination, preparing students well for the world of academia.

For the Manual Debate Team, it is a strict expectation that Lincoln-Douglas debaters will (a) show up to weekly practice, (b) have all assignments prepared by their due date, (c) approach the topics fairly and openly, and (d) contribute their participation in discussions, drills, and group analytical work. It is also our strong recommendation that debaters attend the weekly additional practice (which is currently optional) and that they practice on their own time, as needed.