Ronald Reagan

Overview

Ronald Reagan was a major figure in American political history. Actor, California governor, and conservative president who survived a serious assassination attempt early in his presidency. This entry is designed to support a public-facing biography page and AI question answering connected to the assassination-attempts explorer.

Early life

Ronald Reagan was born in Tampico, Illinois, on February 6, 1911, to John Edward 'Jack' Reagan and Nelle Wilson Reagan, a family of Irish-Catholic and English-Scottish descent. His father was a traveling shoe salesman with a drinking problem; the family moved frequently through small Illinois towns, settling in Dixon, where Reagan attended public schools. He was raised largely in his mother's Protestant faith and was known as an idealistic, sociable young man. He attended Eureka College on a partial athletic and drama scholarship, graduating in 1932 with a degree in economics and sociology.

Career

Reagan worked as a radio sports announcer in Iowa, then moved to Hollywood in 1937 and signed with Warner Bros., appearing in more than fifty films. He served in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II making training and propaganda films. He served as president of the Screen Actors Guild (1947–1952, 1959–1960), shifting from liberal New Deal Democrat to ardent anti-communist. He became a television spokesman for General Electric (1954–1962), developing the free-market conservative speech he called 'The Speech.' A nationally televised address supporting Barry Goldwater in October 1964 made him the new face of conservatism. He was elected Governor of California in 1966, serving two terms (1967–1975). He made unsuccessful presidential primary bids in 1968 and 1976 before securing the 1980 Republican nomination.

Rise to prominence

Ronald Reagan became nationally significant through advanced modern conservative politics, signed major tax reforms.

Presidency & public issues

Key public issues associated with Ronald Reagan include Conservatism, Tax policy, Cold War, Economic deregulation.

Assassination context

This individual is linked to one incident in the archive: Attempted Assassination of Ronald Reagan. The target survived the related event or events, or the plot did not reach the target.

Later life & death

Ronald Reagan died on June 5, 2004 in Los Angeles, California.

Legacy

Ronald Reagan's legacy is commonly discussed through the themes of Conservatism, Tax policy, Cold War, and through the way the related incident shaped public memory, security practices, or political history.

Key facts

Timeline

1. 1911-02-06

   Ronald Reagan born

   Ronald Reagan was born in Tampico, Illinois.

2. 1981-01-20

   40th President of the United States

   Ronald Reagan began service as 40th President of the United States.

3. 2004-06-05

   Ronald Reagan died

   Ronald Reagan died in Los Angeles, California.

Sources

• Ronald Reagan — Britannica
• Ronald Reagan — Miller Center