What terms described white Republicans in the South during Reconstruction?

• A. Scalawags and carpetbaggers.
• B. Patriots and loyalists.
• C. Unionists and moderates.
• D. Exiles and newcomers.

Answer: (A)

White Republicans in the South during Reconstruction were described as scalawags and carpetbaggers. Scalawags were Southern whites who supported Reconstruction and cooperated with Republican state governments, often seen by former Confederates as betraying the South. Carpetbaggers were Northern whites who moved to the South after the war to participate in politics and help shape Reconstruction, sometimes viewed as outsiders seeking opportunity from the upheaval. Together, these terms capture the two main groups of white Republicans active in Southern politics during that era: local pro-Reconstruction reformers and Northern newcomers involved in governance and reform efforts. Other historical labels don’t fit this context—patriots and loyalists are from the Revolutionary era, and unionists or moderates or newcomers aren’t the standard terms used for Reconstruction-era Southern Republicans.