Republican rule was established in the South during Reconstruction following the Civil War. This led to resistance from Southerners as Northerners immigrated to the South and took political positions. Southerners referred to these politicians as "carpetbaggers" and saw them as exploiting the South for money and opportunities. Republicans established reforms such as schools and hospitals, but their rule was also seen as corrupt by some. In response, the Ku Klux Klan formed as a secret society to terrorize freed black people and Republicans through violence and intimidation in order to reinstate Democratic rule. This prompted President Grant to pass a series of Enforcement Acts to curb the Klan's violent activities.

1. Chapter 12: Section 3 Republican Rule