Ronald Reagan
40th President of the United States
Facts
- Born in 1911, in Tampico, Illinois.
- Worked his way through college, and changed from a liberal to a conservative.
- His career went from college athlete, to radio man, to movie star, to lieutenant in the air corps, to politician.
- During his two terms as president, he lowered taxes, helped the industry, and got the government under check, size wise.
Coming of Age
Reagan always thought he had a "Tom Sawyer Boyhood", living in a poor family, and making happy memories. He lived in many small towns in Illinois, where he and his brother played in the summer. His family was very opposed to racism, and his father would not go to places that discriminated against others. His father, who wanted to own a shoe store that would make him rich, couldn't. Jack Reagan had an alcohol problem, which affected Ronald, or Dutch, as he was called in his childhood. Dutch once found his father passed out in the porch when he was eleven, and he dragged him into the house. This incident and others like it led Ronald to have a deep dislike of over-drinking, and he would limit his booze later on in his life. His mother thought that alcoholism is a disease, and that her boys should love their father. She wanted something to become of her boys. Ronald seemed to be a success wherever he went, acing tests throughout high school and college with his photographic memory, and being a leader in his many sports and extracurricular activities, with his talent and natural charisma. After Ronald graduated from Eureka college, he went on to become a radio announcer, movie star, then the governor of California, and of course, the 40th President of the United States.
Analysis
Not only did the small town life shape Ronald's future with the ethics of hard work and honesty, but his school life also showed signs of success later on. He was always a leader, always advocating for what he thought was right, and he was very talented with communicating to others. These notions would shape his presidency, because working hard for what he gets, for example, working his way through college, made him into an honest, hardworking man, and later, a selfless, charismatic, and intelligent leader.
Works Cited
"Life and Times." The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Library. Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library, 2010. Web. 8 Apr. 2014. <http://webpath.follettsoftware.com/resource/viewurl?encodedUrl=uKTjlRztqVUIBPV1MaCsRhLD77y9aAsc2Y8XIzNyqMs&version=1&appsignature=Destiny&appversion=11.0.4.2+%28AU2%29>.
"Ronald Reagan." White House. US. government, n.d. Web. 8 Apr. 2014. <http://webpath.follettsoftware.com/resource/viewurl?encodedUrl=uKTjlRztqVUIBPV1MaCsRjxuW9GBSpERDIxrwKDXHAQ&version=1&appsignature=Destiny&appversion=11.0.4.2+%28AU2%29>.
Sullivan, George. Ronald Reagan. Rev. ed. Englewood Cliffs: Julian Messenger, 1991. Print.