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Ronald Reagan EssayThere are a few(prenominal) mass in this world that have a profound effect on it. There are still fewer with that can claim theyve had as great an impact as Ronald Reagan. The 40th president of the f solely in States, Reagan shot from a former Hollywood actor to be draw arguably one of the grea tribulation politicians of all time. In a time where tensions were possibly never higher between the Soviets and the United States, Reagan was a tranquilize force that provided stability to a world that was severely lacking. Reagan lived a long, and extremely prosperous life, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest presidents of all time.Ronald Wilson Reagan was born in an apartment on the second floor of a commercial building in Tampico, Illinois on February 6, 1911, to Jack and Nelle Reagan. (Ronald Reagan Biography) Reagan had one sibling, his older brother, Neil. Reagan and his family moved around often, in the beginning eventually settling in the town of Dixon. As a boy, Reagans plentifulher nicknamed his son Dutch, due to his fat little Dutch adult male-like appearance, and his Dutchboy haircut. Growing up, Ronald had a particular interest in the goodness of pack, and had a strong spectral faith. (Kengor) After graduating from Dixon High School, Reagan att ceaseed Eureka College, majoring in economics and sociology. (Ronald Reagan Biography) Extremely popular among classmates, Reagan was not merely captain of the swim team, tho was elected student body president. He even ran a force back against the president of the school when he tried to cut back the faculty.Following graduation from Eureka, Reagan moved to Iowa, where he was hired as a radio broadcaster for the University of Iowa football team. Shortly after, he was hired as the play-by-play announcer for the Chicago Cubs. Reagan was a traveling announcer with the Cubs, and while traveling in atomic number 20, attended a screen test with Warner Brothers. Reagan performed so well, he left the Cubs and signed a seven-year contract with Warner Brothers. (Ronald Reagan) After signing the contract in 1937, Reagan was quickly assigned to the lower, B level movies. Ronald once joked by saying, They didnt want them good, they wanted them Thursday, referencing the gauge of some of the films he starred in. Often everywhereshadowed by other actors in such movies, his first gigantic role came in the film Love is in theAir. Ronalds favorite movie was Kings Row, in which he played double amputee Drake McHugh. His most famous line was in the movie comes when he realizes both of his legs are gone, saying, Wheres the rest of me? Reagan loved it so much he later utilize it as the title of his autobiography. Ronalds film career was cut short when he was ordered for active shape upnt duty in the United States Army in World War two. (Ronald Reagan)In 1940, Reagan married actress Jane Wyman, and in concert they had two children, Maureen and Christine, and adopted a third, Michael. Wyman filed for divorce in 948, after several arguments about his future political ambitions. It was in 1949 that Reagan met his true love, Nancy Davis. When asked about their first meeting, Nancy said, She described their meeting by saying, I dont know if it was on the nose love at first sight, but it was pretty close. The Reagans often publicly displayed their affection for one another, as he often called her Mommy and she called him Ronnie. (Ronald Reagan)After the end of the war, Ronald began a career in what really do him a star politics. Reagans political career was launched when he made his A Time for Choosing speech, which support conservative presidential candidate Barry Goldwater. The California republicans were impressed with Reagan, and he announced his intentions to run for California regulator in 1966. In Reagans campaign, he emphasized two main themes to send the welfare bums back to work, and, in reference to burgeoning anti-war and anti-establis hment student protests at the University of California at Berkeley, to clean up the mess at Berkeley. He was elected, defeating two-term governor Edmund Brown, and was sworn in on January 2, 1967. Reagan won a second term in 1970, but chose not to run again in 1974. (Ronald Reagan Biography)In 1976, Ronald Reagan moved on from governor of California to challenge for something even bigger to be the president of the United States. He challenged incumbent Gerald Ford for the republican candidacy. Reagans campaign revolved around the thought of taking early primaries to damage the inevitability of Fords likely nomination. At first, the strategy appearedto work, but Ford eventually won out, with Reagan even losing out on his home state of Illinois. In 1980, however, things worked out much better for Reagan, as he not sole(prenominal) won the republican nomination, but obliterated Jimmy Carter with 489 electoral college votes to Carters 49. (Freidel) His campaign stressed some of his fun damental principles lower taxes to stimulate the economy, less government interference in peoples lives, states rights, and a strong depicted object defense.Reagan began his presidency on January 20th, 1981, and is the oldest president to ever assume office at 69. (Ronald Reagan) Just 69 geezerhood into his presidency, Reagan became the first president to survive an assassination attempt. After the event, Reagans popularity rose to a high of 73 percent. Perhaps Reagans greatest act as president came in his second term, when he helped end the Cold War. Reagan gave a speech at the Berlin Wall in 1987, in which he challenged Soviet loss leader Mikhail Gorbachev, saying, General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization, come here to this gate Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall In November 1989, the Berlin Wall was rupture down, and the Cold War was officially decla red over at the Malta Summit on December 3, 1989. On November 5th, at the age of 83, Reagan announced that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimers disease, an incurable neurological disorder that destroys brain cells and ultimately causes death. (Library) garner of well wishes poured into the Reagans California home, showing support for the former president and first lady. As the geezerhood went on, the disease slowly destroyed Reagans mental capacity, and he was only able to recognize a few people, including his wife Nancy. (Ronald Reagan Biography) Reagans public appearances became much less frequent with the progression of the disease, and as a result, his family distinct that he would live in quiet semi-isolation with his wife. On the afternoon of June 5, 2004, Ronald Reagan died at his home at the age of 93. chairwoman George W. Bush declared June 11 a National Day of Mourning, and tributes came in from all over the world. (Ronald Reagan ) Three funerals were held for Presiden t Reagan, with his final resting place at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley California.President Reagans legacy is that of a powerful and influential man, yet the most down to Earth, honest man you could possibly meet. Observers rank him as one of the greatest presidents of all time. Many think it was because of his joking and loving manner. President Reagan lived a full and prosperous life, and there are few that can argue they stark(a) as much as he did in his time.Works Cited1. Freidel, Frank. The Presidents of the United States of America. 13th. Collingdale Diane Publishing Co., 1994. eBook2. Kengor, Paul. God and Ronald Reagan. 1st. raw(a) York City Harper Perennial, 2005. Print.3. Ronald Reagan Biography. The Biography Channel website. 2011. 01 March 2011 Abraham Lincoln Biography. The Biography Channel website. 2011. 01 March 2011 http//www.biography.com/people/abraham-lincoln-9382540 4. Ronald Reagan. History Channel Website. N.p.. Web. 18 Nov 2013. .5 . Library, CNN. Ronald Reagan Fast Facts. CNN U.S.. N.p., 10 Sept 2013. Web. 1Dec 2013. .The Life and Times of Ronald ReaganJordan WaltersMr. ClancyHistory of westerly Civilization