Final answer:
The correct answer is option 3. Lincoln was fundamentally against the extension of slavery; Douglas advocated for territories to choose using popular sovereignty; Calhoun supported slavery and southern rights; Atchison was a pro-slavery advocate. Hence, the correct answer is that Lincoln and Douglas were against slavery, while Atchison and Calhoun were in favor.
Step-by-step explanation:
The views on slavery of the four historical figures - Abraham Lincoln, Stephen Douglas, David Rice Atchison, and John C. Calhoun - were complex and reflected the contentious politics of their time.
Abraham Lincoln was fundamentally against the spread of slavery, as shown by his opposition to the extension of slavery into the new territories. Lincoln believed that the Founding Fathers intended to limit the spread of slavery and eventually put it on a path to extinction.
Stephen Douglas, although not an abolitionist, advocated for popular sovereignty, allowing territories to decide for themselves whether to allow slavery. This stance was seen in his opposition to the proslavery Lecompton Constitution for Kansas, working with Republicans to defeat it.
John C. Calhoun was a vocal supporter of slavery and the rights of southern states, advancing the idea of a concurrent majority that would protect minority interests in the face of a national majority.
David Rice Atchison was a pro-slavery senator who played a role in the events leading up to the conflict in Kansas related to the extension of slavery.
Therefore, the accurate response to the student’s multiple-choice question is 3) Lincoln and Douglas were against slavery, while Atchison and Calhoun were in favor of slavery.