Ronald W. Reagan – 40

Ronald Wilson Reagan served as the 40th President of the United States.

He served for two continuous terms and remained in office from 1981 to 1989. He proved a popular president and many important global events took place during his presidency.

Early Life before Presidency

Ronald Reagan was born in Illinois in 1911. He became a versatile performer soon after he graduated. His performances included working as a sports announcer and an actor. He had a very successful career and became the President of the Screen Actors Guild. Later in his career, he focused more on television appearances. He also garnered a lot of fame as an inspirational speaker for the General Electric factories.

The Reagans Inaugural Parade 1981 American President List

The Reagans Inaugural Parade 1981 American President List

Political Life and Election as President

Ronald Reagan first entered active politics when he was elected the Governor of California in 1966. He remained in this position until 1975 and proved a strong and astute politician. During his terms as the Governor of California, he also sought the presidential nomination of the Republican Party but failed in these attempted.

Once his term as governor was over, he once again sought the nomination and was successful in clinching it in 1980. As he ran for the office, he was able to gain a landslide victory over the incumbent President Jimmy Carter. Reagan was the oldest person to have been elected American President until Donald Trump was elected to the office.

Important Events during First Term as President

Ronald Reagan came to power at a time when American economy was in a bad shape. President Reagan took a number of measures which propped up and improved the economy. He reduced tax rates and also diminished the involvement of the U.S. government in economic activities. During his first term, he also launched War on Drugs to contain and prevent the use and sale of illegal drugs across United States.

An assassination attempt was made on the President in 1981 but he survived despite being shot. In 1984, he ran for a re-election and once again won the race with an overwhelming majority.

Official Portrait of President Reagan 1981 American President List

Official Portrait of President Reagan 1981 American President List

Important Events during Second Term as President

During his second term from 1985 to 1989, Reagan was mostly engaged in foreign affairs. This was a time when Soviet Union was on the brink of failure and various states under Soviet influence were beginning to resist the communist regime.

He called upon Soviet Union to end the division of Berlin and tear down the Berlin wall. By the end of his second term, Reagan had helped diminish the Cold War tensions and forged better ties between Soviet Union and United States.

Another important event during his second term was the Iran-Iraq War. Although Iraq unjustly invaded Iran during this war, United States under Reagan’s leadership supported Iraq. However, a stalemate in 1988 brought an end to the war.

Verdict as an American President

Reagan remains among the most popular and well-related American presidents of the modern era. He was marked by his charismatic personality and optimism which he often used to steer the support of the masses.

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