There were three groups in the old south during Reconstruction: freed slaves, original southerners, and northerners who moved south during Reconstruction. Freed slaves had high hopes for their freedom but were disappointed frequently as discrimination persisted. Southerners were anxious as they lost in the Civil War and were not sure about the Reconstruction. Northerners had sympathy for the slaves and wanted to help in the Reconstruction but struggled with obstacles like poor economic conditions after the war.
