Two families, abolitionist Northerners the Stonemans and Southern landowners the Camerons, intertwine. When Confederate colonel Ben Cameron is captured in battle, nurse Elsie Stoneman petitions for his pardon. In Reconstruction-era South Carolina, Cameron founds the Ku Klux Klan, battling Elsie's congressman father and his African-American protégé, Silas Lynch.

Mirandy, the daughter of a laundress, scrubs floors in an opera house. Before she can marry the handsome organist for the opera, she decides she must improve her social standing.

Catherine Montour, a striking half-breed Indian princess, and mistress of King George III aspires to become the first Queen of America when the revolution breaks out.

Minerva comes home from school filled with the idea that she has a great mission in life. All society needs reformation. She has her maiden aunt come to live with her as chaperon, and Minerva immediately starts in by reconstructing her. The trust company that has charge of her fortune is represented by young Mr. Grant, who looks on with dismay at the operations of Minerva and tries to dissuade her, but without success. She stops him from smoking and he compiles when she isn't looking. She discovers this and quarrels with him. A laborer making some repairs at the house attracts her attention when she finds him drinking a pail of beer with his lunch. She remonstrates with him and questions him about his home life. As a result she visits his mother's home and tries to educate the family, much against their will, lavishing money on them.