Which group of Northern Democrats opposed abolition and sympathized with the South during the Civil War?

The correct answer is Copperheads, who were a faction of Northern Democrats during the Civil War. They opposed the war and advocated for a negotiated peace with the Confederacy. The Copperheads believed that the conflict was detrimental to the Constitution and individual liberties, viewing the abolition of slavery as an additional conflict that would make reconciliation with the South more difficult. Their actions often included public protests against the war and criticisms of the Lincoln administration, which they perceived as overly aggressive and unconstitutional.

In understanding this context, it's useful to note how the other groups differ. Scalawags were Southern whites who supported Reconstruction and the Republican Party, often seen as traitors to their region. Radicals were a faction in Congress that pushed for aggressive reforms in the South and the full abolition of slavery, creating measures like the Freedmen's Bureau. Carpetbaggers were Northern newcomers who moved to the South post-war for economic and political opportunity, often linked with Radical Republican policies, but they did not have the same anti-war sentiments as the Copperheads. Each of these groups had distinct motivations and ideologies, which helps clarify why Copperheads were particularly characterized by their opposition to abolition and sympathy for the South.