What belief held that it was America's fate to expand from coast to coast?

• A. Isolationism
• B. Manifest Destiny
• C. Mercantilism
• D. Federalism

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is Manifest Destiny—the 19th-century belief that the United States was fated to stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific. This mindset fueled westward settlement and justified expanding borders, leading to the annexation of Texas, disputes and settlements in Oregon, and acquisitions after the Mexican-American War. It framed expansion as a mission to spread democracy and American institutions across North America, shaping policies and attitudes of the era.

Isolationism focuses on staying out of foreign conflicts, not on expanding territory. Mercantilism is an economic theory about building national wealth through trade and colonies, not a belief about continental expansion. Federalism deals with how powers are shared between national and state governments, not about expanding the nation’s borders.