How did the South’s economic and social problems after the war contribute to its political problems?
a. The South was too economically damaged for politics.
b. With many newly freed men and new politicians, it was unclear how the South would run state governments.
c. Southerners resented Northerners too much to want to rejoin the Union.
d. The South didn’t have the money to mount campaigns or hold elections.
b. With many newly freed men and new politicians, it was unclear how the South would run state governments.
The social and economic problems faced by the South after the war created a climate of uncertainty and instability. The abolition of slavery led to the emergence of a large population of freed men with no previous political or social status. This created challenges in terms of integrating them into the political system and determining their rights and responsibilities.
Additionally, the war had devastated the Southern economy, with infrastructure and industries destroyed. Many Southerners faced poverty and struggled to rebuild their lives and communities. This economic turmoil made it difficult for the South to fund political campaigns or hold elections.
These economic and social problems, combined with the difficulties of integrating freedmen into the political system, contributed to the political problems faced by the South during the Reconstruction era.