Plantation owners were determined to restore their prewar social, political, and economic power, and they resisted any efforts to redistribute land, grant civil rights to African Americans, or transform the Southern economy. They felt that the Reconstruction policies were unfair and unjust and that they were being punished for the sins of their ancestors. They also believed that the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery, was unconstitutional.
Plantation owners used their wealth and power to control local governments, intimidate African American voters, and spread propaganda against Reconstruction. They also formed paramilitary groups, such as the Ku Klux Klan, to terrorize African Americans and prevent them from exercising their rights.
Ultimately, the plantation owners were successful in defeating Reconstruction and restoring their prewar power structure. This victory came at the expense of African Americans, who were denied their rights and opportunities for decades to come.