Even though the West was often depicted in popular literature of the early nineteenth century as a violent place, in the minds of many Americans it also symbolized the nation's core value of __________.

A) materialism
B) idealism
C) communalism
D) freedom

The West was seen as a symbol of freedom, which was a core value of the nation. This is reflected in the idea of Manifest Destiny, which held that it was America's destiny to expand westward and spread freedom and democracy. While materialism and communalism were important in American society, they were not necessarily associated with the Western frontier. Idealism is a broad term and could apply to many different values, so it is not as specific as the concept of freedom in relation to the West.