# Debating in Lincoln's time

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debating-in-lincolns-time/333915>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 3, 2005, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debating-in-lincolns-time/333915 "2005-12-03T17:31:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\
**Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debating-in-lincolns-time/333915/1 "2005-12-03T17:31:29Z")

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Lincoln and Douglas (to name a duo) used to debate outdoors before thousands of people. The debaters would have to project their voices, of course. But these things went on for hours.

Was any technology used to enable the throngs to hear the debates? Towards the end, would Lincoln/Douglas just run out of steam and end up speaking quietly? Would they strain their vocal cords and thus temporarily lose their voices?

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**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debating-in-lincolns-time/333915/2 "2005-12-03T17:41:36Z")

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AFAIK, they just spoke out. You actually can talk for a very long time loudly and without amplification (for instance, consider performing **Hamlet** night after night).

It helped that Lincoln had a fairly high-pitched voice, more a tenor than a baritone. It carried better.

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**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\
**Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debating-in-lincolns-time/333915/3 "2005-12-03T17:51:13Z")

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Patrick Fairbairn reviewing [_The Lincoln-Douglas Debates_](http://www.netreach.net/~dvcwrt/BookReviews.htm):

> [@](#):
>
> Douglas’s voice was loud, self-confident, and melodious, his enunciation clear and distinct; his gestures eloquent and aristocratic. Lincoln’s voice was high pitched, some said “shrill”, and infused with a distinct Kentucky twang and accent. . . . They engaged in 7 debates spread over a period of 7 weeks, from August 21, 1858 to October 15, 1858 in these Illinois cities: Ottawa, Freeport, Jonesboro, Charleston, Galesburg, Quincy, and Alton. Attendance estimates ranged from a low of 1,500 in Jonesboro to a high of 20,000 in Galesburg. The average was about 15,000 very vocal folks at each town. The format never varied. The first speaker spoke for one hour; his opponent for the next 1 ½ hrs; and then the starter finishing up with a half hour. The speaking order was reversed at the next site.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\
**Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debating-in-lincolns-time/333915/4 "2005-12-03T18:03:51Z")

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Yes, I guess Hamlet is a good comparison for stressing the vocal cords, so I guess back then (and probably in ancient Greek theaters) actors and orators used their diaphragms “to reach the little old lady in the back row.”

My wife is reading “Team of Rivals” and though it mentions the Lincoln-Douglas debates, it doesn’t address the challenges of being heard.

Thank you all very much for your information.