Biography
Ronald Wilson Reagan was born on February 6, 1911 in Tampico, Illinois.
He attended high school in Dixon Illinois and then proceeded to attend Eureka College,
where he studied economics and sociology. When he graduated, he became a radio sports
announcer. After taking a screen test in 1937, he won a contract in Hollywood and during
the next two decades he appeared in 53 films.
He had two children from his first marriage
to actress Jane Wyman, Maureen and Michael, Maureen passed away in 2001. In 1952 he married
Nancy Davis, who was also an actress, and they had two children, Patricia Ann and Ronald
Prescott. When Reagan was the president of the Screen Actors Guild, he became involved
in disputes over communist infiltration in the film industry. As a result Reagan became a
confirmed anti-communist, and while he was a television host for GE Theater, he would tour
the country giving speeches on he views.
During that period Reagan's political views
changed from a New Deal liberal to staunch conservatism, and in 1964 he gave a his
"Time is Now" speech to assist Republican candidate Barry Goldwater in his quest
for the presidency. In 1966 he was elected Governor of California by a margin of a
million votes, and was re-elected in 1970.
In 1980 Reagan won the Republican Presidential nomination, and chose as his running
mate George Bush. Americans were troubled by the economic state of the country,
President Jimmy Carter's inability to get the hostages in Iran freed, and the general
malaise in the country voted for change, and Reagan won the election with 489 electoral
votes to 49 for President Jimmy Carter.
Only 69 days after his inauguration on January
20, 1981, Reagan was shot, but recovered and returned to office with an increased
popularity. Promising to bring America back, Reagan's economic policy attempted to
stimulate growth, curb inflation, increase employment, and strengthen national defense.
He attempted to cut government intrusiveness into American's lives by cutting taxes and
Government expenditures. However, at the same time Reagan increased defense spending
which led to a large deficit. His programs were able to bring morning again to America,
and he was reelected in 1984 with a landslide.
In 1986, Reagan continued his quest to
end big government by overhauling the income tax code, which eliminated many deductions
and exempted millions of Americans with low incomes. At the end of his administration,
the Nation was enjoying its longest recorded period of peacetime prosperity without
recession or depression.
Reagan's staunch anti-communist stance was evident in his foreign policy.
Reagan sought to achieve "peace through strength," and during his presidency he
increased defense spending 35 percent, but also attempted to improve relations with
the Soviet Union. In summit meeting with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, he negotiated
Washington INF Treaty that would eliminate intermediate-range nuclear missiles, which was the road
to the end of cold war.
As well Reagan declared war against international terrorism and
sent American bombers against Libya, after it was revealed the Libya was responsible for
an attack on American soldiers in a West Berlin nightclub. In order to maintain the free
flow of oil during the Iran-Iraq war, he sent naval escorts to the Persian Gulf.
He also supported anti-Communist insurgencies in Central America, Asia, and Africa.
As Ronald Reagan left the office of the presidency of the United States on
January 20, 1989 his popularity was at a peak of seventy percent, Reagan had mended
the nation's moral and confidence in the Presidency. Ronald Reagan achieved the goals
of his program known as the Reagan Revolution. He major successes as president included
reinvigorating the American people, reducing their reliance upon Government, improving
the nation economic state, and bringing upon the end of Cold War with the Soviet Union.
The 40th president of the United States, had fulfilled his 1980 campaign pledge to restore
"the great, confident roar of American progress and growth and optimism."
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