Final answer:
Manifest Destiny played a role in the eventual Civil War by increasing tensions between free and slaveholding states.
Step-by-step explanation:
Manifest Destiny, which was the belief that the United States was destined to expand westward to the Pacific Ocean, was a significant factor in the eventual Civil War.
This ideology led to the acquisition of vast territories in the Southwest, such as California, which increased the tension between free states and slaveholding states. As the country grew and incorporated more territory, the delicate balance established by the Missouri Compromise became increasingly unstable, contributing to the conflicts that eventually led to the Civil War.