Who were 'Scalawags' in the context of post-Civil War America?

Scalawags were southern white Republicans who supported the Reconstruction efforts following the Civil War. In the context of post-war America, this term was often used pejoratively by those who opposed Reconstruction, particularly by white Southerners who were loyal to the antebellum social order and the Democratic Party. Scalawags believed in rebuilding the South in ways that included promoting civil rights and political participation for formerly enslaved individuals. These individuals played a crucial role in helping to establish new political structures in the South and were often viewed with disdain by both former Confederates and conservative Democrats, who could not accept the changes brought about by the war and Reconstruction.

The other options do not accurately represent the term. Northern tourists refer to visitors from the North, often associated with the era but not involved in the political scene. Union soldiers, while pivotal in the Civil War, do not align with the Scalawag identity, which specifically pertains to southern political dynamics. Democratic politicians would have been aligned with the pre-war social structure and were primarily opposed to the changes initiated by the Republicans during Reconstruction.