What is a fundamental belief associated with Manifest Destiny?

Manifest Destiny was a 19th-century doctrine that held a deep-seated belief in the United States' mission to expand its territory across the North American continent. The idea that expansion was both justified and inevitable stemmed from a combination of factors, including a sense of moral superiority, the perceived cultural and racial superiority of Americans, and the desire for more land for agriculture and settlement. Proponents of Manifest Destiny believed that it was the nation's divine right and duty to spread democracy and civilization, which inherently portrayed the expansion as a natural progression of American history. This belief not only fueled westward expansion but also had significant implications, contributing to conflicts such as the Mexican-American War and issues surrounding the treatment of Native American populations. Thus, the assertion that the expansion of the U.S. was justified and inevitable encapsulates the essence of Manifest Destiny.