Why Were Carpet Baggers Important

During the reconstruction era there were 60 carpetbaggers elected in the congress.

Why were carpet baggers important.

During the reconstruction period 1865 77 to denote a northerner who moved to the south. It was applied to politicians and financial adventurers whom southerners accused of coming south to use the newly enfranchised freedmen to obtain office or profit. 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. In general cases the carpetbaggers supported the modernizing and democratizing the south.

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. 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. Facts about carpetbaggers 1. 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. These white republicans are known by the contemptuous appellation of carpet bagger and scalawag. Alexander white a white congressman from alabama describes the role that carpetbaggers and scalawags played in reconstruction politics. Carpetbaggers generally supported measures aimed at democratizing and modernizing the south civil rights legislation aid to economic development the establishment of public school systems.

With the support of the black vote some carpetbaggers played an important role in the republican state governments. Carpetbagger derogatory term originally used in the u s. The elected carpetbaggers in the congress. This is handout 8 4 p.

They were perceived as exploiting the local populace. 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. Like the similar term carpetbagger the word has a long history of use as a slur in southern partisan debates. The opponents of the scalawags claimed they were disloyal to traditional values.

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.