Final answer:
The 'discovery' of America might have been part of a divine plan due to the belief in Manifest Destiny, which promoted the idea that the United States was destined to expand and spread its democratic institutions across the continent.
Step-by-step explanation:
The suggestion that the 'discovery' of America might have been part of a divine plan is mainly based on the belief in Manifest Destiny. Manifest Destiny was a concept that emerged in the 1800s, promoting the idea that the United States was destined to expand its democratic institutions across the continent. This belief was influenced by the perception that European colonizers were bringing progress and Protestant institutions to the native inhabitants, with the goal of developing the land. The idea of divine ordination justified the American expansion and the spreading of their culture.