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The election of self avowed Unionist,
自稱為聯合主義者的選舉中
Abraham Lincoln, to the presidency in 1860
亞伯拉罕林肯于1860年當選總統
prompted 11 southern states to secede from the Union.
這促使11個南方州退出聯邦
These southern states later formed
這些南方州之后組成
the Confederate States of America.
美利堅聯盟國
President Lincoln considered these secessions
林肯總統視此脫離
a mere rebellion and he moved to preserve
為叛變，他要通過武力保證聯邦完整
the Union by force. On April 12th,
在1861年的4月12日
1861 Confederate troops fired upon Fort Sumter
南方軍隊朝
off of Charleston, South Carolina and
南卡羅來納州，查爾斯頓薩姆特堡開火
the American Civil War was on. The nation,
美國內戰由此打響
the great experiment, nearly failed.
美國，這偉大的實驗，幾近破產
Segment 5b: Our Manifest Destiny.
5b部分：我們的天定命運
Expansionism and Manifest Destiny.
擴張主義與天定命運
The American population was booming.
美國人口在急速增長
The Louisiana Territory was beginning to fill up.
路易斯安那領地開始充斥人口
As a result of victory in the War of 1812
1812年的戰爭勝利
and the success of the Monroe Doctrine,
和門羅主義的勝利
America enjoyed international prestige.
使得美國贏得國際聲望
Americans naturally attributed their nation's rise
美國自然而然將其國家崛起的原因
to their freedoms, their ideals and their relation with
歸為其崇尚自由，其理想和
providence as illustrated on the great seal.
其國璽上說明的他們與上帝的關系
Annuit Coeptis, baby.
佑吾基業
Americans began to think the United States
美國人開始開始認為美國
was literally destined to rule America from east to
注定要統治東西海域之間
west or from sea to shining sea.
從海洋此岸到碧波蕩漾之彼岸
The Jacksonian democrats, so-called after
杰克遜民主黨人
Old Hickory, Andrew Jackson, the Indian fighter,
得名于老山胡桃安德魯·杰克遜
urged expansionism. Expansionism involved
這位印第安戰士敦促擴張主義
the addition of the most possible territory to
擴張主義是指盡可能增多美國的領域
the United States. Even if Canada was off limits
即使加拿大商品被禁止
for good and even though it seemed that
即使似乎
the British would fight for the Oregon Territory
英國將為俄勒岡領地戰斗
there was always Mexico.
但總有墨西哥
In 1844 New York journalist John O'Sullivan
1844年，紐約記者約翰·奧沙利文
coined the term Manifest Destiny in an essay arguing
在一篇短文里造出了天定命運這個詞
for the annexation of the Republic of Texas.
那篇文章是為兼并德克薩斯共和國辯護
In a more influential 1845 essay supporting
在1845年一篇更有影響力的
annexation of the Oregon Territory O'Sullivan
支持兼并俄勒岡領地的短文中
explained, quote, "and that claim is by the right
奧沙利文解釋到 "根據
of our manifest destiny to overspread and
我們天定命運的權力
to posses the whole of the continent which
我們可以擴展，擁有整片大陸
providence has given us for the development,
上帝給我們這片領地發展
the great experiment of liberty and federated
自由的偉大嘗試
self-government entrusted to us." End quote.
且委托給我們聯邦自治政府"
Those who supported American expansion
那些支持美國擴張的人
were slow to seize on this term.
漸漸占用了這個詞
At first manifest destiny was used as a curse word,
最初，天定命運是個冒犯語
a derogatory term by the dying political party
被稱為輝格黨的垂死政團
known as the Wigs which feared that expansion
當貶義詞用，他們害怕
would somehow dilute America's stable government.
擴張會在某種程度上動搖美國政府的穩定
But Jacksonian democrats such as
但杰克遜的民主黨人
Tennessee's James K. Polk quickly recognized
如田納西州的詹姆斯·K。波爾克很快認識到
this term's appeal. Manifest destiny implied
這個詞的吸引力，天定命運暗示
that the Americans were a uniquely superior people,
美國人是獨特優越的族群
specifically ordained by god to spread civilization
被上帝委派將文明
throughout North America.
傳遍全北美
This idea was nothing new.
這個思想毫無新意
Many other great powers had already experienced it.
許多其它大國都曾有此經歷
But it was new to the United States.
但這對美國來說十分新奇
Northerners saw manifest destiny as
北方人視天定命運為
a wonderful opportunity for the nation's economy
一個出色的機會，對于該國的總體經濟如此
in general and for the north in particular.
對北美經濟更是如此
