Who were the scalawags?

Question

They were wealthy white southern women who participated in politics.

They were white southerners who had been excluded from politics before the war.

They were African Americans in the South who became Republicans.

They were northerners who relocated to the South after the war.

Answer 1

The scalawags were white southerners who had been excluded from politics before the Civil War and who supported Reconstruction and the Republican Party during that period. They often aligned with the interests of Northern Republicans and were viewed with disdain by many other white southerners. So, the correct option from your list is:

They were white southerners who had been excluded from politics before the war.