The concept of "normalcy" was based on nostalgia for an earlier America. The idea of nostalgia was new in Americans and since America was a new country, the forefathers wanted progress and did not want to look back in the past mentality.
3- There were southern republicans (known as scalwag) who incorperated former dems, northern migraters (carpetbaggers) and freed black slaves (freedman), there was aslo the Democrats (most predominent) and indepentant party.
When people are united by common history and culture, they belong to a "nation" although this is not technically the case. Many people from different backgrounds and cultures can be part of a nation.
