Why did Americans feel like they had to civilize the world during the Gilded Age?

During the Gilded Age, many Americans believed in the concept of Manifest Destiny, which posited that the U.S. had a divine obligation to spread democracy and civilization. This belief was fueled by a sense of national superiority and economic expansion, as industrial growth created a desire for new markets and resources. Additionally, the prevailing social Darwinism ideology suggested that it was a natural right for more "civilized" nations to uplift those deemed "less developed." These factors combined to foster a paternalistic attitude toward other cultures, leading to a drive to "civilize" the world.