today we're looking at carpet baggers and scalawags
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resources that go with many of the bellringer videos in the aftermath of the civil war the
united states entered into a time period known as reconstruction as the nation attempted to rebuild
itself after four years of bloody fighting the southern economy was left in ruins after the war
and with the passage of the 13th amendment abolishing slavery the cornerstone of much
of their economy the forced labor of enslaved people was gone carpetbagger was the name white
southerners gave to northerners that moved into the south after the war motivated by economic
opportunity or to make profit and gain control of land many times these northerners carried cheaply
made bags made from carpet the term carpetbagger is actually a derogatory term and by that i mean a
name given or title given to someone that is meant to be disrespectful or express anger towards that
person white southerners viewed carpetbaggers as basically corrupt low-class businessmen
they're only to take advantage of the south's misfortune after the war was over
although this might have been the case for some northerners that came to the south most were
actually well-educated middle class northerners that came to the south in hopes of helping rebuild
and create unity after the war many were former union soldiers and were merchants or teachers
or were working for the freedmen's bureau attempting to ensure rights for former enslaved
people as the civil war came to a close the 13th amendment was passed abolishing slavery and then
soon after other amendments were added extending more rights to former enslaved african-americans
these efforts were led by republicans in congress many times referred to as the radical republicans
former enslaved people who had just been given voting rights overwhelmingly voted for republicans
in elections and many african-american candidates were voted into various political offices
state legislatures and into congress southern state legislatures were soon controlled by
the republican party carpetbaggers were almost exclusively supporters of the republican party
and their reform efforts to most white southerners supporting the republican party and their efforts
to extend rights to african americans and reform the south was a despicable act
opposition to the republican party in the south by white southerners was very intense
however there were some white southerners that supported the republican party and their efforts
to change the south these white southerners were called scalawags by other whites in the south
another derogatory term many scalawags were southerners that remained loyal to the union
throughout the civil war some even serving in the union army interestingly despite agreeing
with much of the reform efforts and extending rights to african americans most scalawags still
held racist values and did not believe african americans should be given any political control
much of their motivation was to simply keep former confederates from regaining power
to the majority of white southerners scalawags were viewed even worse than carpetbaggers as
they saw scalawags as being traitors to the southern way of life and their racist ideology
although scalawags were only thought to make up about 20 percent of the southern white population
between the years of 1867 to 1869 many were able to win political offices along with many carpet
bagger candidates and for a very brief time southern state legislatures were controlled by
african-americans and republicans that were pushing forward
reform efforts in the south unfortunately many white southerners that supported their
republican reform efforts eventually went over to what became known as the democratic redeemers
which were the southern wing of the democratic party these democrats regained control of state
legislatures and began to put back in place laws that discriminated against african americans
and integrated racist policies anger over carpetbaggers scalawags and reform efforts
in the south of course led to the formation of racist organizations such as the klu klux klan
that attempted to stop reform efforts and not allow equal rights for african americans the kkk
used intimidation violence and murder to attempt to stop reform efforts across the south with the
election of 1876 and new policies by president rutherford b hayes the reconstruction period
came to an end but unfortunately it left a legacy of discrimination and unfair treatment of african
americans across the south so with that hopefully you learned something and thanks for watching
you