Definition Of Carpetbagger In History
Twitchell in the civil war and reconstruction.
Definition of carpetbagger in history. A term often associated with carpetbagger was scalawag the term was used to describe a white southerner who worked with members of the republican party and supported reconstruction policies. The ordeal of carpetbagger marshall h. To white southern democrats scalawags were perhaps even worse than carpetbaggers as they were viewed as betraying their own people. Carpetbagger definition is a northerner in the south after the american civil war usually seeking private gain under the reconstruction governments.
The term carpetbagger used exclusively as a pejorative term originated from the carpet bags a form of cheap luggage made from carpet fabric which many of these newcomers carried. In general the term carpetbagger refers to a traveler who arrives in a new region with only a satchel or carpetbag of possessions and who attempts to profit from or gain. 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. Creating the propaganda of history.
Carpetbagger definition a northerner who went to the south after the civil war and became active in republican politics especially so as to profiteer from the unsettled social and political conditions of the area during reconstruction. Southern editors and the origins of carpetbagger and scalawag journal of southern history 72 november 2006. A carpetbagger was portrayed as a lower class schemer with little education who could carry everything he owned in a cheap carpet bag these new arrivals supported the republicans the party of. The term is now used in the united states to refer to a parachute candidate that is an outsider who runs.
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. During the reconstruction period 1865 77 to denote a northerner who moved to the south. In united states history the term scalawag sometimes spelled scallawag or scallywag referred to white southerners who supported reconstruction policies and efforts after the conclusion of the american civil war.
Carpetbagger derogatory term originally used in the u s. Louisiana state university press 2003.