Final answer:
"Waving the bloody shirt" is a historical political tactic used mainly by post-Civil War Republicans in the U.S. to evoke the horrors of the war and paint their Democratic opponents as disloyal, aiding them in maintaining power.
Step-by-step explanation:
The tactic known as "waving the bloody shirt" in history refers to the political strategy utilized mainly by politicians in the post-Civil War era in the United States, particularly by the Republican Party. The purpose of this strategy was to remind voters of the sacrifices and horrors of the Civil War, which many attributed to the Democratic Party based heavily in the southern states. By 'waving the bloody shirt', they evoked the memory of the war's horrors and associated their political opponents with disloyalty and treason.
This tactic worked effectively for nearly two decades, keeping the Republicans in power as they were seen as the party of Union victory and abolitionism, contrasting with the Democrats, who were depicted as the party of rebellion and slavery.
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