| − | In United States history, '''carpetbaggers''' were Northerners who moved to the South during [[Reconstruction]] to take up new business, reform or political opportunities. More generally the term refers to the political faction of the [[Republican Party]] in the South controlled by the new arrivals. They were allied politically with [[Freedmen]] (freed slaves), and [[Scalawags]] (Southern whites) in the [[Republican Party]], which in turn controlled ex-Confederate states for varying periods between 1867 and 1877; Carpetbaggers were in power on average 3 or 4 years except in South Carolina, Louisiana and Florida, where their rule was especially corrupt and lasted about 10 years. They were never in control of Virginia or Tennessee. | + | In United States history, '''carpetbaggers''' were Northerners who moved to the South during [[Reconstruction]] to take up new business, reform or political opportunities. More recently, the term refers to the political faction of the [[Republican Party]] in the South controlled by the new arrivals. They were allied politically with [[Freedmen]] (freed slaves), and [[Scalawags]] (Southern whites) in the [[Republican Party]], which in turn controlled ex-Confederate states for varying periods between 1867 and 1877; Carpetbaggers were in power on average 3 or 4 years except in South Carolina, Louisiana and Florida, where their rule was especially corrupt and lasted about 10 years. They were never in control of Virginia or Tennessee. |
| | "Carpetbaggers" was coined from the carpet bags used as inexpensive luggage. It was originally a derogatory term, suggesting a penniless exploiter who brings no new resources and probably does not plan to stay. The term is now standard and is used without derogatory intent by historians and reference works. | | "Carpetbaggers" was coined from the carpet bags used as inexpensive luggage. It was originally a derogatory term, suggesting a penniless exploiter who brings no new resources and probably does not plan to stay. The term is now standard and is used without derogatory intent by historians and reference works. |