What does the term "manifest destiny" refer to?

The term "manifest destiny" refers to the 19th-century belief that it was the providential right and duty of the United States to expand its territory across the North American continent. This concept emerged as a justification for westward expansion, suggesting that such growth was not only inevitable but also a moral imperative. Proponents of manifest destiny felt that expanding the nation's borders was aligned with the nation's mission and that the U.S. was destined to spread its values, including democracy and capitalism, across the whole continent.

This belief was influential in American politics and culture during the mid-1800s, leading to significant events such as the annexation of Texas, the Oregon Trail migration, and the Mexican-American War. It framed expansion as a rational and justified process, reinforcing notions of American superiority and exceptionalism.

While the other options relate to adjacent concepts, they do not encapsulate the specific meaning of manifest destiny as directly as the chosen answer. Concepts like American exceptionalism and industrialization were part of the broader context of 19th-century American ideology, but they do not define the specific belief that the expansion itself was justified and destined. Spreading democracy worldwide is a more modern interpretation of America's role on the global stage and doesn't capture the historical context of