During the Reconstruction era, many white Southerners viewed the influx of Northerners—often referred to as "carpetbaggers"—with suspicion and hostility. They generally believed that the primary goal of these Northerners was to exploit the South's economic and political situation following the Civil War. White Southerners often perceived them as opportunists seeking to profit from the region's misfortunes, particularly through political manipulation and economic control.
Many white Southerners also believed that these Northern newcomers were intent on undermining white supremacy and the traditional social order of the South. They saw carpetbaggers as part of a broader effort by the federal government and the Republican Party to impose Reconstruction policies, including civil rights for formerly enslaved people, which threatened their way of life. This created a deep sense of resentment and a desire to resist Northern influence, contributing to the tensions that characterized the Reconstruction period.