Manifest Destiny was a belief in the 19th-century United States that white American settlers were destined to expand across North America
. The concept was coined by newspaper editor John O'Sullivan in 1845 and was based on the idea that God had ordained white Americans to settle the entire continent of North America
. The main tenets of Manifest Destiny included:
- The inherent superiority of white Americans and their institutions
- The mission of the United States to redeem and remake the West in the image of the agrarian East
- An irresistible destiny to accomplish this essential duty
Manifest Destiny was an early expression of American imperialism and was used to validate continental acquisitions in the Oregon Country, Texas, New Mexico, and California
. It also inspired measures designed to remove or destroy Native American tribes, leading to emigration to the Americas in the first place
. The concept of Manifest Destiny was embraced by various political figures and citizens, and it played a significant role in the expansion of the United States
