Final answer:
The Regulators were vigilante groups aiming to restore law and order in the post-Civil War South, often associated with violent acts like lynchings. The federal government could have lessened the perceived need for such groups by reinforcing legal systems, law enforcement, and social reforms in the South. The Readjusters were a related political movement seeking economic reform and challenging elite landowners in Virginia.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Regulators were volunteer groups that emerged in the American South during the Reconstruction era following the Civil War. Their initial purpose was to restore order and enforce their own version of justice at a time when they perceived the local law enforcement as inadequate. This vigilante justice often targeted African Americans and was associated with extrajudicial punishments such as lynchings. The Ku Klux Klan (KKK), originally seen as a group of Regulators, is a notorious example that adopted violent tactics, contributing to their enduring terrorizing reputation.
To reduce the perceived need for Regulators, the federal government could have implemented stronger legal systems and law enforcement in the South to protect all citizens and uphold justice fairly, thus negating the argument that vigilante groups were necessary to maintain order. Additionally, broader social reforms and economic support to rebuild the post-war South would have helped by addressing the unrest that contributed to the violence.
The Readjusters were a political movement in Virginia, formed by William Mahone, which sought to challenge the dominance of elite landowners known as Bourbons. They aimed to restructure the state's debt and reallocate funds to important services like education, gaining temporary support from both white and black voters with a Progressive vision for economic reform.