Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan was born in Illinois in 1911 and became a radio announcer, Hollywood actor, union leader, and corporate spokesman before entering politics. Originally a New Deal Democrat, he became a conservative Republican and won the California governorship in 1966. Elected president in 1980, he entered office promising lower taxes, smaller government, stronger defense, and restored national confidence after the economic and foreign policy crises of the 1970s.

Reagan’s first term reshaped domestic policy. The Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 cut taxes substantially, while his administration pursued deregulation, reduced some social spending, and increased defense spending. The economy suffered a deep recession early in his presidency but recovered strongly by 1984, helping Reagan win reelection in a landslide.

Foreign policy centered on confrontation with the Soviet Union, which Reagan denounced while expanding military pressure. His second term shifted toward negotiation with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, producing the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. The Cold War ended shortly after Reagan left office, though historians debate how much credit belongs to Reagan, Gorbachev, internal Soviet weakness, and broader global pressures.

Reagan left office in 1989 with the Cold War winding down, the economy expanded, and American confidence restored. He died in 2004, remembered as a transformative president who renewed the nation’s sense of purpose and strength.