The term "carpetbagger" originated from the cheap suitcases (often called carpetbags) that many of these newcomers carried with them. They were often viewed with suspicion and resentment by many white Southerners, who saw them as outsiders who were trying to impose Northern values and policies on the South. Carpetbaggers were often accused of corruption and profiteering, and were sometimes depicted as greedy and unscrupulous opportunists.
Despite these negative perceptions, many carpetbaggers also played a positive role in the Reconstruction era. They helped to establish schools, hospitals, and other public institutions in the South, and worked to promote civil rights for African Americans. Some carpetbaggers even served in state and local governments, and helped to write new constitutions that guaranteed equal rights for all citizens.
The term "carpetbagger" fell out of use in the late 19th century, but it remains a reminder of the complex and often tumultuous period of American history known as the Reconstruction Era.