Manifest Destiny

"Manifest Destiny" refers to the belief—held by many during the nineteenth century—that the United States was destined to control the entire territory from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. The concept was used by the U.S. government to justify its policy toward American Indians who, in its view, stood in the way of westward expansion. Heeding the call of Manifest Destiny, waves of immigrants, mostly Americans of European descent, moved from east to west, resulting in the displacement and decimation of native populations across the continent.