Birth Of Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was born in Tampico, Illinois, on February 6, 1911.
Even as a young man, Reagan showed an interest in acting and politics. He appeared in several school plays throughout his high school career and was elected president of the student council. In 1928, “Dutch,” as he was known, entered Eureka College, majoring in economics and sociology. While attending Eureka, Reagan participated in different sports, played the lead role in several school productions, and served as the president of the student body.
In 1932, Reagan graduated from college and became a sportscaster at a local radio station in Des Moines, Iowa. Five years later, while covering baseball spring training in California, Reagan made a screen test for Warner Brothers. Between 1937 and 1964, Reagan appeared in over 50 motion pictures. He served six terms as president of the Screen Actors Guild, a union that represents actors and actresses. Because of his poor eyesight, Reagan couldn’t serve overseas during World War II, but helped produce over 400 Army Air Force training films.
Reagan first entered politics as a Democrat, campaigning for Harry Truman in 1948. However, during the 1950s, Reagan gradually adopted more conservative views, campaigning for Republican candidates Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon. In 1962, Reagan officially joined the Republican Party.
In 1966, Reagan was elected to the first of three terms as Governor of California. While in office, Reagan worked hard to reduce the size and cost of government. Although he was responsible for major policy decisions, Governor Reagan surrounded himself with capable people and relied on them to work out the details of his legislative program.
Reagan led a new conservative movement, altering the political dynamic of the United States. Conservatism became the dominant ideology for Republicans, displacing the party's faction of liberals and moderates. In his time, men began voting more Republican, and women began voting more Democrat – a gender distinction that has persisted. He was supported by young voters, an allegiance that shifted many of them to the party. He attempted to appeal to black voters in 1980 but would receive the lowest black vote for a Republican presidential candidate at the time. Throughout Reagan's presidency, Republicans were unable to gain complete control of Congress.
The period of American history most dominated by Reagan and his policies (particularly on taxes, welfare, defense, the federal judiciary, and the Cold War) is known as the Reagan era, which suggests that the "Reagan Revolution" had a lasting impact on the United States in domestic and foreign policy. The Bill Clinton administration is often treated as an extension of the era, as is the George W. Bush administration. Since 1988, Republican presidential candidates have invoked Reagan's policies and beliefs.