Final answer:
The Lincoln-Douglas debates introduced the concept of popular sovereignty, allowing residents to determine whether to allow slavery in their region.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Lincoln-Douglas debates were responsible for the statement 'popular sovereignty,' which was an attempt to interpret the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the issue of slavery. Popular sovereignty allowed the residents of a territory or state to decide for themselves whether to allow slavery or not.
It was a central topic in the Lincoln-Douglas debates and ultimately contributed to the growing tensions between the North and the South that led to the Civil War.
Learn more about Lincoln-Douglas debates