Why Were Carpet Baggers Important

With the support of the black vote some carpetbaggers played an important role in the republican state governments.

Why were carpet baggers important.

In united states history the term scalawag referred to white southerners who supported reconstruction policies and efforts after the conclusion of the american civil war. Here are some interesting facts about carpetbagger for you. Carpetbaggers generally supported measures aimed at democratizing and modernizing the south civil rights legislation aid to economic development the establishment of public school systems. Like the similar term carpetbagger the word has a long history of use as a slur in southern partisan debates.

Facts about carpetbaggers 1. The term is commonly used in historical studies as a neutral descriptor of southern white republicans although some historians have dis. The term broadly included both individuals who sought to promote republican politics and individuals who saw business and political opportunities because of the chaotic state of the local economies following the war. Although regarded as transients because of the carpetbags in which they carried their possessions hence the name carpetbaggers most intended to settle in the south some in support of the radical republican reconstruction program others to take advantage of speculative and commercial opportunities there.

This is handout 8 4 p. Carpetbagger derogatory term originally used in the u s. Though some carpetbaggers undoubtedly lived up to their reputation as corrupt opportunists many were motivated by a genuine desire for reform and concern for the civil and political rights of. Most carpetbaggers probably combine the desire for personal gain with a commitment to taking part in an effort to substitute the civilization of freedom for that of slavery.

137 of the reconstruction era and the fragility of democracy. Alexander white a white congressman from alabama describes the role that carpetbaggers and scalawags played in reconstruction politics. In general cases the carpetbaggers supported the modernizing and democratizing the south. The opponents of the scalawags claimed they were disloyal to traditional values.

In the history of the united states carpetbagger was a derogatory term applied by former confederates to any person from the northern united states who came to the southern states after the american civil war. During the reconstruction era there were 60 carpetbaggers elected in the congress. The elected carpetbaggers in the congress. The term carpetbagger was used by opponents of reconstruction the period from 1865 to 1877 when the southern states that seceded were reorganized as part of the union to describe northerners who.

During the reconstruction period 1865 77 to denote a northerner who moved to the south.