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T H E R E A G A N E R AT H E R E A G A N E R A

B I O G R A P H YB I O G R A P H Y

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RONALD WILSON RONALD WILSON REAGANREAGAN

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Ronald Wilson ReaganRonald Wilson Reagan

• Was the 40th president of the United Was the 40th president of the United States 1981-1989 and the 33rd Governor States 1981-1989 and the 33rd Governor of California (1967- 1975)of California (1967- 1975)

• Nicknames:Nicknames: "The Gipper"; "The Great "The Gipper"; "The Great Communicator"; "Dutch“Communicator"; "Dutch“

• Reagan moved to Los Angeles, California Reagan moved to Los Angeles, California in the 1930s,where he was an actor, in the 1930s,where he was an actor, president of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). president of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG).

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• Ronald Reagan was born in Tampico,Illinois on february 6,1911 to John”Jack” Reagan and Nelle Wilson Reagan.

• As a boy, Reagan`s father nicknamed him “Dutch”due to his “fat little Dutchman”like appearence, and his “Dutchboy” haircut; the nickname stuck with Ronald throughout his youth.

• Reagan´s family briefly lived in several Illinois towns, including Monmouth, Galesburg and Chicago, until 1919, when they returned to Tampico.

• Reagan had a particularly strong faith in the goodness of people, which stemmed from the optimistic faith of his mother, Nelly, and of Christ faith.

• Reagan was unusual in his opposition to racial discrimination.

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•At 69 years old, Reagan was the oldest elected president.

•At 93 years old, Reagan lived longer than any other president.

•Died: June 5, 2004, in Los Angeles, California.

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• Married: Jane Wyman (1917-2007), on June 25, 1940 (divorced in 1948); Nancy Davis (1923- ), on March 4, 1952

• Nancy Davis Reagan is the widow of former United States President Ronald Reagan and as an influential Firts Lady of the United States an influential Firts Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989.from 1981 to 1989.

• She was an actress in the 1940s and 1950s, in She was an actress in the 1940s and 1950s, in 1952, she married Ronald Reagan, who was 1952, she married Ronald Reagan, who was then president of the Screen Actors Guild; they then president of the Screen Actors Guild; they had two children.had two children.

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• Nancy became the first Lady of Nancy became the first Lady of California when her husband was California when her husband was Governor from 1967 to1975.Governor from 1967 to1975.

• She championed recreational drug She championed recreational drug prevention causes by founding the “Just prevention causes by founding the “Just say no” drug awareness campaign.say no” drug awareness campaign.

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•Which was considered her major initiative as First Lady.

•More controversy ensued when it was revealed in 1988 that she had consulted an astrologer to assist in planning the president´s schudule.

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His start in politics His start in politics occurred during his occurred during his work for General work for General Electric Theater, Electric Theater, where he was a where he was a spokesmasspokesmas

Originally a member Originally a member of the DEMOCRATIC of the DEMOCRATIC PARTY, he switched PARTY, he switched to the REPUBLICAN to the REPUBLICAN PARTY in 1962.PARTY in 1962.

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GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA 1967 - 1975GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA 1967 - 1975

• Republicans were impressed with Reagan´s political views and charisma after his “Time for Choosing” speech, and nominated his for Governor of California in 1966.

• In Reagan´s campaign, he emphasized two main themes

to send the welfare bums back to work in reference to burgeoning anti-war and anti-

establishment student protests at the University of California at Berkeley.

• He was elected governor and was sworn on January 3,1967.

• He frozen government hiring and approved tax hikes to balance the budget.

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• Reagan was involved in high-profile Reagan was involved in high-profile conflicts with the protest movements of the conflicts with the protest movements of the era.era.

• Reagan´s terms as governor helped to Reagan´s terms as governor helped to shape the policies he would pursue in his shape the policies he would pursue in his later political career as president.later political career as president.

• By campaigning on a plataform of sending By campaigning on a plataform of sending “the welfare bums back to work”, he spoke “the welfare bums back to work”, he spoke out against the idea of the welfare state.out against the idea of the welfare state.

• He also strongly advocated the Republican He also strongly advocated the Republican idea of less government regulation of the idea of less government regulation of the economy including that of undue federal economy including that of undue federal taxation. taxation.

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PRESIDENCY 1981 - 1989

• Washington, D. C. (1981-01-20Washington, D. C. (1981-01-20))• During his Presidency, Ronald Reagan pursued policies During his Presidency, Ronald Reagan pursued policies

that reflected his personal belief in individual freedom,that reflected his personal belief in individual freedom,

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• He brought changes domestically, both to the U.S economy and expanded military, and contributed to the end of the cold war.

•Los Reagan en 1981

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Reagan and his Vice President: George W. Bush (1981-89)

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• As president, Reagan implemented As president, Reagan implemented New political initiativesAs well as economic policies

• Advocating a limited government and economic laissez-faire philosophy, but the extent to which the implementation of these ideas was successful is debated.

• The supply side economic policies, dubbed “REAGANOMICS” (the free-market economic, involving cuts in taxes and social spending together with deregulation of domestic markets) markets)

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• Reagan promised to cut back on taxes Reagan promised to cut back on taxes and federal spending, and he sought to and federal spending, and he sought to spend more money on defense in order spend more money on defense in order to rebuild America´s position in the to rebuild America´s position in the worldworld

• This gave rise to a new social This gave rise to a new social phenomenon in the United States, the phenomenon in the United States, the “Homeless”, people who live on the “Homeless”, people who live on the streets. For food, they usually beg.streets. For food, they usually beg.

• Critics said that Reagan was being Critics said that Reagan was being unfair to the poor, but Conservatives unfair to the poor, but Conservatives said that many social programs were said that many social programs were abused by “welfare cheats”.abused by “welfare cheats”.

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• The Reagan program was a tax cut. The Reagan program was a tax cut. In 1981, Congress approved a In 1981, Congress approved a personal income tax cut of 25 personal income tax cut of 25 percent spread over three years, and percent spread over three years, and the Congress also lowered taxes on the Congress also lowered taxes on businesses, interest, inheritances.businesses, interest, inheritances.

• In 1986 Reagan obtained an overhaul In 1986 Reagan obtained an overhaul of the income tax code, which of the income tax code, which eliminated many deductions and eliminated many deductions and exempted millions of people with low exempted millions of people with low incomes.incomes.

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DEFENSE POLICY

• As Reagan had promised, government spending went down in social areas, but it increased in the area of defense.

• He said that “our defense policy is based on a very simple premise:

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• The United States will not start fights. We will The United States will not start fights. We will not be the first to use aggression. We will not not be the first to use aggression. We will not seek to occupy other lands or control other seek to occupy other lands or control other people. Our strategy is defensive; our main is to people. Our strategy is defensive; our main is to protect the peace by ensuring that no protect the peace by ensuring that no adversaries ever conclude they could best us in adversaries ever conclude they could best us in a war of their own choosing”.a war of their own choosing”.

• A strong, credible American defense is A strong, credible American defense is indispensable to protecting the peace and indispensable to protecting the peace and preserving the free way of life our people preserving the free way of life our people cherish.cherish.

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Reagan insisted on his STRATEGIC DEFENSE INITIATIVE (SDI) which has been called “STAR WARS” , plan whereby the scenario of the next world war would not be the earth, but outer space.

This important program means of defending against the threat of ballistic missiles.

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Reagan´s foreign policy• Reagan sought to Reagan sought to

achieve “peace through achieve “peace through strength” During his strength” During his two terms he sought to two terms he sought to improve relations with improve relations with the Soviet Union, in the Soviet Union, in dramatic meeting with dramatic meeting with Soviet leader Mikhail Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, he Gorbachev, he negotiated a treaty that negotiated a treaty that would eliminate would eliminate entermediate-range entermediate-range nuclear missiles.nuclear missiles.

• Reagan declared war Reagan declared war against international against international terrorism.terrorism.

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• Reagan´s intervention in Central Reagan´s intervention in Central America in El Salvador an Nicaragua America in El Salvador an Nicaragua was not well received either in the was not well received either in the United States or in Latin America.United States or in Latin America.

• His second term was scarred by the His second term was scarred by the Irak Contra scandal.(it involved the Irak Contra scandal.(it involved the illegal sale of weapons to Iran)illegal sale of weapons to Iran)

• Reagan had a uncanny ability to Reagan had a uncanny ability to make Americans feel good about make Americans feel good about themselves.themselves.

•Reagan was the great communicator.

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• Ronald Reagan had Ronald Reagan had a higher claim than a higher claim than any other leader to any other leader to have won the Cold have won the Cold War for liberty and War for liberty and he did it without a he did it without a shot being fired. ~ shot being fired. ~ Margaret ThatcherMargaret Thatcher

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• I recall with deep I recall with deep gratitude the president gratitude the president Reagan and his Reagan and his commitment to the commitment to the service of the nation service of the nation and to the cause of and to the cause of freedom as well as his freedom as well as his abiding faith in the abiding faith in the human and spiritual human and spiritual values which ensure a values which ensure a future of solidarity, future of solidarity, justice and peace in our justice and peace in our world. ~ Pope John Paul world. ~ Pope John Paul IIII

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THE RONALD REAGAN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

• On march 30, 1981, that Monday the president had traveled the short distance from the White House to the Washington Hilton to give a talk before union Hilton to give a talk before union representatives. Outsidse the hotel´s VIP representatives. Outsidse the hotel´s VIP entrance, reporters waited, intent on entrance, reporters waited, intent on asking him questions about Poland, where asking him questions about Poland, where the Soviets were threatening to crack the Soviets were threatening to crack down on the Solidarity movement.down on the Solidarity movement.

• When he appeared, his press secretary, When he appeared, his press secretary, James Brady, stepped toward the reporters James Brady, stepped toward the reporters to field questions.to field questions.

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The president waved. At this moment, a man in a raincoat pointed a 22-caliber revolver and fired six shots in two second.

• Secret Service agent Jerry Parr shoved Reagan into the waiting limousine, and he ordered the driver to head for George Washington University Hospital. This decision almost certainly saved Reagan´s life.

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• John W. Hinckley,Jr. Shot in the chest to President Reagan.

• Hinckley, a 25-year-old college dropuot from a wealthy family had acted from a personal rather than political motive-a ludicrous hope to impress the movie actress Jodie Foster. He successfully pleaded insanity and was sent to St. Elizabeth´s Hospital in Washington, where he remains.

• Reagan in the Washington University Hospital

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• After surviving an After surviving an assassination attempt assassination attempt he was re-elected in he was re-elected in 19841984

• At the end of his two At the end of his two terms in office, Reagan terms in office, Reagan viewed with viewed with satisfaction the satisfaction the achievements of his achievements of his innovative program innovative program known as the Reagan known as the Reagan Revolution, which Revolution, which aimed to reinvigorate aimed to reinvigorate the American people the American people and growth their and growth their optimism.optimism.

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• Ronald Reagan was a popular president ever to leave office, his approval ratings were higther than any other at the end of his second term.

• Reagan kept a series of diaries in which he commented abour daily occurrences of his presidency and his views on current issues, frequently mentioning his wife, Nancy.

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• Died:Died: June 5, 2004, in June 5, 2004, in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California; ; on June 7, his body was on June 7, his body was removed and taken to removed and taken to the Ronald Reagan the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Presidential Library, where a brief family where a brief family funeral service was funeral service was held.held.

• His body lay in repose His body lay in repose in the Library lobby in the Library lobby until June 9; over until June 9; over 100.000 people viewed 100.000 people viewed the coffin.the coffin.