ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Manifest destiny

Manifest Destiny is an idea that started in the 1800s. It said that the United States of America was destined to expand from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. People who believed in Manifest Destiny thought that more land meant more opportunities and happiness for everyone. They wanted the United States to have more land so they could have a bigger and better country. They used this idea to encourage settlers to move West and helped the country to expand.