What term describes the 1800s belief that White Americans had the right to spread across the continent?

• A. Women's Movement
• B. Abolitionist Movement
• C. Manifest Destiny
• D. Mexican-American War (1846-1848)

Answer: (C)

Manifest Destiny describes the 19th-century belief that White Americans were destined to expand across North America, viewing westward growth as a divine mission and a rightful expansion of American civilization. This idea provided a moral rationale for moving settlers west, shaping policies and events from the Oregon Territory and Texas annexation to the Mexican-American War and the subsequent territorial acquisitions. It also framed the displacement of Indigenous peoples as part of a perceived national mission, making it the best fit for a statement about spreading across the continent.

The other options refer to different movements or events instead of a belief about expansion: the Women's Movement focused on women's rights, the Abolitionist Movement aimed to end slavery, and the Mexican-American War was a conflict that resulted from expansionist pressures rather than a belief about expanding across the continent.