Many Southerners disliked carpetbaggers because they were seen as outsiders who came to the South after the Civil War to take advantage of the region’s turmoil. Carpetbaggers were often Northerners who moved to the South during the Reconstruction era, seeking economic and political opportunities. Southerners viewed them with suspicion and resentment, believing that they were exploiting the South’s weakened state for personal gain. Additionally, carpetbaggers were often associated with the Republican Party, which was unpopular in the South due to its role in the Civil War and its efforts to enforce Reconstruction policies. This further fueled the animosity towards them.