Following The War for Southern Independence the radical Republicans of the North took unjust measures over the conquered and impoverished social structure, economy and governments of the defeated southern states.

In fact, the whole idea of “reconstruction” was in fact “deconstruction”. Reconstruction was not to “heal the nation’s wounds,” or to economically revitalize the South (which it did not). Indeed, Reconstruction was economically destructive to the South. The purpose was to continue the economic plundering of the Southern states for as long as possible, and to establish a national Republican party political monopoly.

Congress Passes the Reconstruction Act

During this reconstruction period many Northerners came southward to take unfair advantage of a destroyed economic and governmental structure in order to gain political and or financial advantage. These greedy opportunists were self-seeking in their quest to exploit the South. With no regard what so ever to the quiet, peaceful Southerners the Northerners attempted to implement their beliefs and ways of life upon the grieving Southerners.

Carpetbaggers

Many Northern Republicans, such as Thaddeus Steven's, felt that the Yankee rule over the South was to:

hang the leaders—crush the south—arm the Negroes—confiscate the land...Our generals have a sword in one hand and shackles in the other...The South must be punished under the rules of war, its land confiscated...these offending states were out of the Union and in the role of a belligerent nation to be dealt with by the laws of war and conquest (1).

This type of harsh attitude towards the Southern states who didn’t even bother the North in the first place encouraged dishonest Northern carpetbaggers to make up ruthless schemes to defraud Southerners of their last remaining possessions. Many Southerners were forced to sell their farms, plantations, crops and businesses, through intimidation, to greedy Northern speculators at extreme financial losses. Carpetbaggers state legislators put high taxes upon the Southern people to help pay for both Union veteran pensions and war debts. These same state legislatures offered no financial assistance to the Confederate veteran, while at the same time passing laws “legalizing” their misappropriation of public finds for their own selfish gain.

Aftermath