How did people use exceptional-ism to justify expansion?

Answer 1

People used exceptionalism to justify expansion by promoting the idea that their nation or culture was inherently superior and had a divine right to spread its values and systems. This belief often manifested in the notion of Manifest Destiny in the United States, where expansion was seen as a moral obligation to bring civilization and progress to perceived "lesser" societies. Such ideologies helped rationalize colonialism and Imperialism, framing expansion as a benevolent mission rather than an exercise of power. Ultimately, exceptionalism provided a moral veneer for the exploitation and domination of other peoples and territories.