Stephen A. Douglas was an American politician and lawyer born on April 23, 1813, in Vermont. He is best known for his role in the U.S. Senate and for his debates with Abraham Lincoln during the 1858 Illinois Senate race. Douglas was a key figure in the development of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which allowed territories to decide on the legality of slavery. Douglas served as a U.S. Senator from Illinois and was a member of the Democratic Party. He ran for president in 1860 but lost to Lincoln. His political career was marked by his advocacy for popular sovereignty, which allowed states to determine their own laws regarding slavery. Douglas died on June 3, 1861.