Actually, the American Civil War is a very strange and interesting case. The North won the military struggle, and then sought to reincorporate the South.
Democrats from the South promptly took over the White House and resumed a very prominent place in the House and Senate. So they were able to keep laws relating to universal rights and promoting the security and civil rights of blacks from being enforced. In fact, as recounted in
The Bloody Shirt: terror after Appomattox, by Stephen Budiansky, the "defeated" southerners waged a terror campaign worthy of the Taliban for the next 60 years, denying freed slaves any freedom at all and killing any who "stepped out of line."
Fortunately, a reinvasion by northerners seeking sunshine and lower costs of living decimated the south once again during the 1960's, 70's and 80's (which I am a part of
), bringing the south securely into the national concept that all men are created equal.
But even today, everyone knows that the northern carpetbaggers goverening the south after the war were all cheating and killing thieves who needed to be put down by justified violence. Hogwash! They were enforcing the laws. While they were here we had black property owners, Senators, Representatives, Governors, local officials of all kinds doing good jobs. Once the terror campaigns held sway, all that was gone and slavery in all but name was reinstituted until the middle 1960's.
Read the book. What you know about the south is dead wrong, a false legend created by liars, killers and thieves who snatched victory from resounding military defeat in the American Civil War. What an amazing story! Read the book.
A good friend of mine is a Civil War reenactor. He was a southerner for a long time, but got tired of sitting around waiting to be asked to take part. He saw the light, bought Union regalia and now is in great demand for every event. He loves it! And he has a complete uniform and equipment for both sides. So you can see that there is no bad blood between the two sides within Civil War reenactors. They simply share a fascinating hobby that educates all of us.