1. Preservation of Social Order: White Southerners were determined to preserve their way of life, which included the social and economic hierarchy that had existed before the war. They feared that Reconstruction would lead to the empowerment of African Americans and the disruption of their social order.
2. Economic Interests: The plantation-based economy of the South had been disrupted during the war, and many white Southerners were concerned about protecting their economic interests. They saw Reconstruction as a threat to their control over land, labor, and resources.
3. Racism and White Supremacy: White Southerners held racist beliefs that reinforced the idea of African Americans as inferior. They resisted Reconstruction because they did not want to grant African Americans social and political equality. Racial prejudice and a desire to maintain white dominance played a significant role in the resistance to Reconstruction.
4. Political Power: White Southerners were determined to maintain their political power within their states and the federal government. They feared that Reconstruction would give political power to newly enfranchised African Americans, who could challenge their dominance in legislatures and other political bodies.
5. States' Rights: Many white Southerners argued that Reconstruction violated the states' rights guaranteed by the Constitution. They resented the federal government's interference in Southern affairs and felt that states should have the autonomy to manage their own affairs without outside interference.
6. Nullification and Secession: Some white Southerners even advocated for nullification of federal laws and renewed threats of secession if Reconstruction continued. They believed that the federal government had overstepped its authority and that states had the right to nullify federal laws or even secede from the Union.
These factors contributed to the widespread resistance to Reconstruction among white Southerners, leading to various forms of opposition, including the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan, black codes, voter suppression, segregation, and other means of maintaining racial hierarchy and white dominance.