History exam. Explain the phrase “manifest destiny.”

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History Exam
1 Explain the phrase “manifest destiny.” What factors were most important in drawing Americans to the West, both mentally and physically?
Manifest destiny, one of the greatest phrases in American history, is a term invented by John L. O’Sullivan in 1845. This phrase, having long been equated to the American destiny, means to expand the ideologies and power of the country to the West. Sullivan first used this phrase when he criticized several nations for meddling with a natural process (Horsman). Americans pioneered this idea with the belief that America has the divine duty to aid other nations in building a better land through the expansion of its noble republic throughout the Pacific Ocean (Morrison).
Winning the revolutionary war of 1812 set aflame the spirit of nationalism that enhanced the belief that territorial expansion is the answer to all disputes. The statement that “every man is equal” during the Jacksonian Era empowered such optimism (Madsen).
During the mid-nineteenth century, the population of the U.S. exploded tremendously secondary to the high birth rate and the high number of immigrants. In fact, the population increased from five million in 1800 to twenty-three million in 1850. The rapid growth, accompanied by massive economic crises in 1819, drove the Americans to the west in lieu of the promise of a wider land and greater opportunities. These promises have been fulfilled when gold nuggets were discovered in the California Sacramento Valley in 1848 that gathered thousands of miners in the west (Walker).
The Louisiana Purchase, signed by President Thomas Jefferson, aided the westward expansion in 1803, thereby increasing the land area of the U.S. twice as much its previous size (Fleming).
2 At what point (if any) did the Civil War become inevitable? If you could change historical events, what would you do at that point to avoid war?
The American Civil War became inexorable when the South began to open fire in 1860 at the Fort Sumter. When South Carolina left the Union, Major Anderson promptly went to Fort Moultrie on December 26, 1860 to abolished the cannons located here. He and his men relocated to Fort Sumter afterward. Governor Francis Pickens’ men, headed by Colonel J. Johnston Pettigrew, commanded Anderson to return to Fort Moultrie. However, the latter declined his request. This move prompted Pickens to seize Fort Sumter (Bates).
Because Anderson lack soldiers, he requested reinforcements from President Buchanan, who strategized the entry of the 200 soldiers, where their arsenals and uniform ere not visible to the enemy while boarding the Star of the West ship. However, the perceptiveness of their enemies in the South impelled these people to open fire as the ship approached Charleston Harbor on January 9, 1861 (Bates).
These events are preceded by the disputes between the North and the South that were evident between 1820-1860 due to their obvious differences. For instance, slavery is the topmost priority in the South for its main livelihood lies in agriculture, making this rural area prosperous. By contrast, the north is home to the largest urban centers. Thus, there ...