Question

Which three groups benefited MOST from Reconstruction policies in the southern states in the late 1800s?

A) "scalawags," "carpetbaggers," and freedmen
B) women in the workforce, sharecroppers, and child laborers
C) "Redeemers," members of the White League, and Confederate veterans
D) former Confederate politicians, Democrats, and large plantation owners

Answer 1

The policies enacted in the southern states during the Reconstruction era benefited the "scalawags," "carpetbaggers," and freedmen. "Scalawags" were southern whites who supported the Republican party and "carpetbaggers" were northerners who settled in the south following the war. Together with the freedmen, these groups made up the Republican party in the south during the late nineteenth century.

Answer 2

Answer: A, "scalawags," "carpetbaggers," and freedmen.

During and after the Civil War, many northerners headed to Southern states, driven by hopes of economic gain and a desire to work on behalf of the newly emancipated slaves. Many Southerners viewed them as opportunists looking to exploit and profit from the region’s misfortunes.