What belief was behind Manifest Destiny? (1 point) Responses Native Americans would benefit from the introduction of the settlers’ American way of life. Native Americans would benefit from the introduction of the settlers’ American way of life. Settlers would benefit from the exchange of ideas from Native Americans in the West. Settlers would benefit from the exchange of ideas from Native Americans in the West. Settlers and Native Americans should co-exist peacefully but separately and come into contact as little as possible. Settlers and Native Americans should co-exist peacefully but separately and come into contact as little as possible. Native Americans and settlers could share the western land and work together to live in this difficult area. Native Americans and settlers could share the western land and work together to live in this difficult area.

Answer 1

The belief behind Manifest Destiny was that it was America’s divine right and duty to expand its territory across the North American continent. This ideology often involved the belief that the settlers’ way of life was superior and that it would benefit Native Americans by "civilizing" them, even though this notion disregarded Indigenous rights and sovereignty. However, none of the provided options fully capture the essence of Manifest Destiny as it was predominantly centered around the idea of American expansionism rather than mutual benefit or coexistence.