What concept refers to the belief that the United States was destined to expand across North America?

The belief that the United States was destined to expand across North America is known as Manifest Destiny. This concept emerged in the 19th century and encapsulated the idea that it was America’s divine right and duty to spread its values and governance across the continent, ultimately stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans. Manifest Destiny was used to justify westward expansion and resulted in significant events such as the annexation of Texas, the Oregon Trail migration, and the aftermath of the Mexican-American War.

This idea was intertwined with notions of American Exceptionalism, which suggests that the U.S. has a unique mission to lead the world in freedom and democracy, but the specific term that directly refers to the expansionist belief is Manifest Destiny. In contrast, isolationism is a policy of remaining apart from the affairs or interests of other groups, particularly foreign countries, and colonial supremacy relates more to the dominance of colonial powers over their colonies rather than the expansionist ideology of the United States.