The Presidents of the USA

 

Fast Facts

Fast Facts

40
Ronald Reagan
1981-1989




1981-1989
picture of President Ronald Reagan
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Ronald Wilson Reagan
 

birthplace

Tampico, IL

birthday

February 6

Life

1911- 2004

age

OFC:69 , d. 93

party

Republican

presidency highlights

Reaganomics — "Star Wars" initiative

nickname:

Dutch, The Gipper

vice-president:

George H. W. Bush
picture of President Ronald Reagan

previous office

Governor of California

key background fact:

Actor, Governor of California

occupation

Actor, Union leaser

military service

Captain- U.S. Army (Res. Army Air force)-WW II (in Motion Pictures unit)

children

4:   2 boys  2 girls

wife:

Jane Wyman (1940), Nancy Davis (1952)

height

6' 1'' / 1.85 m

higher education

Eureka College

religion

Christian Church

 

quote

" Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"

actions & events

  • 1981 Assassination attempt by John W. Hinkley,
  • 1981 Fired 11,345 striking air traffic controllers.
  • 1986 War on Drugs

economy

  •  "Reaganomics": tax cuts, gov’t downsizing
  • 1987 Stock Market plunge

foreign affairs

  • 1983 Strategic Defense Initiative ("Star Wars") - USSR can not compete.
  • 1986 Iran-Contra scandal
  • 1987 I. R. Nuclear Forces Treaty

military activity

  • 1983 241 Marines, of a multinational force, were killed in a bombing in Lebanon
  • 1983 Granada invasion
  • 1986 Bombing of Libya

unique facts

  • The oldest president at the time of leaving office (78).
  • The first divorced man to become president.
  • The only who was president of a union (Actors Guild)

interesting

When young he worked as a lifeguard and made 77 rescues.
Appeared in 53 movies and hosted 2 popular TV shows.
At the end he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

military activity

  • 1983 241 Marines, of a multinational force, were killed in a bombing in Lebanon
  • 1983 Granada invasion
  • 1986 Bombing of Libya

Legacy

While his aptitude for the job was often questioned, he was always very popular. Reaganomics stimulated growth but USA became the largest debtor. His confrontational policies with the Soviets ended the Cold War shortly after he left office.

"tear down this wall"