During the Civil War, the overwhelming Republican majority i…
During the Civil War, the overwhelming Republican majority in congress took advantage of the wartime absence of Democrats to push through their economic reforms. They gave millions of acres and dollars to railroad companies and also maintained a high protectionist tariff. They dominated politics during the Gilded Age, winning 12 of 16 presidential elections and controlled the Senate for 27 out of 32 sessions. During this period the Republicans became known as .