Report by: Nathan
5th Grade
Bennion Elementary
Taylorsville, Utah

Mrs. Hansen


Nathan

On March 30, 1981, President Ronald Reagan was shot in the chest by John Hinckley Jr. Reagan luckily recovered and the former lifeguard, governor and movie star would soon become one of the greatest and most popular presidents of the United States ever.

February 6, 1911 in Tampico, Illinois Ronald Wilson Reagan was born to Nelle and Jack Reagan in their small apartment. His father bragged about his "fat little Dutchman". Thereafter he was often referred to by his nickname "Dutch" which would stick with him for the rest of his life. He was very adventurous. When he was three, he and his older brother Neil decided to get a piece of ice from the ice wagon outside due to the extreme heat. To get to the wagon they had to climb under a moving train. Luckily neither boy got hurt. Afterwards they received a spanking from their mother. He loved exploring with his brother in the summer and sledding in the winter. He enjoyed going to his mother's drama club and watching at rehearsals. But most of all he loved playing football. When he was five he learned to read. Once he learned how, he loved it. As he grew older he borrowed adventure and sports books from the library.
In 1920 at the age of nine, Reagan and his family packed up and headed for Dixon, Illinois. His father had accepted a partnership owning a Fashion Boot Shop. In their new hometown flowed the Rock River, which became a big part of his life. One of his hobbies was climbing trees and collecting bird's eggs. The only thing that saddened Reagan in Dixon was his father's alcoholism. He loved learning in school although he couldn't see too well until he got glasses.
When he entered high school he wanted to play on the football team. But since he was only five feet tall, 106 pounds he spent most of his time on the bench. That same summer of 1924 he got a construction job that helped him build muscles. The next summer he got a job he would keep for the next several summers. He was the new lifeguard at Lowell Park. He and Margaret Cleaver fell for each other and became sweethearts. While he was a lifeguard he kept track of how many people he saved each summer and by 1933, his final summer, he had saved 77 people. Citizens spoke of Reagan being a local hero. As he went through high school he gained height, weight, played on the football, basketball, and track team. Margaret Cleaver joined the school drama club and soon Reagan joined also. Ronald Reagan dreamed of attending college. Margaret Cleaver chose to go to Eureka College in Eureka, Illinois. Reagan decided to join her. When he arrived he fell in love with the campus. He wanted to get in so bad it hurt when he thought about it. The tuition would use up $400.00 in savings in just one year. Eureka was impressed by his enthusiasm and gave him an athletic scholarship to cover half of his tuition for the start of college.
As Reagan entered college, he majored in sociology and economics in the classroom. Soon after he began letting football eat into his study time and his grades began to drop. Reagan didn't play much due to being sometimes clumsy because of his bad eyesight. He worked harder and his grades raised again and he won playing time on the football team. In his senior year he and Margaret Cleaver split apart because they got interested in different things.
In June of 1932 Reagan graduated and received his diploma from Eureka College. After leaving college Reagan admitted he was broke and in debt. Reagan decided he could be a radio announcer. He looked all over until he came to WOC radio station in Davenport, Iowa. He became an announcer of the University of Iowa football games. Almost a year later he moved to a bigger station, WHO. As an announcer at WHO, he broadcast prizefights, track meets, and Big Ten football games. He also announced Chicago Cub's games. He enjoyed horseback riding in the countryside. Reagan enlisted as a reserve officer in the 14th Calvary Regiment in Des Moines. He won a second lieutenant's commission in the army reserves. Reagan still wanted to be an actor and when he was traveling with the Cubs to California, he seized the opportunity. While in California he visited the nearby Los Angeles and Hollywood motion picture studios. There he met Joy Hodges, an old friend from Des Moines. He told her about how he wanted to be an actor. The next day Reagan went to meet with Hodge's agent. The agent immediately called Warner Brothers and they agreed to give him a screen test to see if he had acting ability. He did the scene and they pleaded with him to stay for a few more days until they gave the test film to the studio chief. He said no because he had to leave with the Cubs to go back to Des Moines.
On March 22, Reagan received a telegram from Ward (the agent from Hollywood): Warner Brothers offer contract seven years, one years option, starting at $200.00 a week. What shall I do? Reagan wired back: Sign before they change their mind! Reagan quit his job, bought a convertible and headed to California. Through the first eleven months in Hollywood he was in eight movies and learned how to move naturally in front of the camera. He was in many action films. He fought in prisons, fought in an airplane, and swam in water with bullets hitting it six inches from his face.
As his success grew he sent for his parents and bought them a house in Los Angeles. Reagan was cast in a movie Brother Rat. Also appearing in the film was young Jane Wyman. At the time she was divorcing her first husband. After the divorce Wyman and Reagan began to date. At last they were married and they settled in to Wyman's Hollywood apartment. After performing in a large number of movies his new agents negotiated a better contract for him at Warner Brothers. Now he earned $1,628.00 a week. Soon he had the birth of his first child Maureen.
December 7, 1941, the United States was thrust into World War II. As he was a reserve officer, Reagan was soon called to active duty. In April 1942 he reported for duty in Fort Mason, California. Due to his bad eyesight Reagan soon received orders to report to the Hal Roach movie studio. There he narrated films to train aerial gunners for six weeks. Finally in 1945 the war ended. In March 1945 Reagan and Jane Wyman adopted a baby boy named Michael. Reagan took an interest in politics. He repeatedly spoke out on the issues of the United States. Reagan's interest in politics may have hurt his acting career. As Reagan and Wyman spent less time with each other they soon divorced. Reagan soon met a young woman named Nancy Davis. She was also interested in politics. For the next couple of years they dated until Reagan realized he was in love. Finally on March 4, 1952, 41 year old Reagan married 28 year old Nancy Davis. In 1952 he acted in his final Warner Brothers film. He soon found himself out of work and in debt.
He performed in a Las Vegas nightclub for a few weeks and made $30,000.00. He was embarrassed and never did something of the sort again. In the summer of 1954 he got a job at The General Electric Company where he hosted a half-hour television show. He now made $125,00.00 a year, which helped his credit a lot. In 1957 Ronald and Nancy had their second child, Ronald Prescott Reagan.
In 1960 Reagan delivered 200 campaign speeches for the Republican candidate Richard Nixon who nevertheless lost. Four years later Reagan campaigned even harder for the Republican Barry Goldwater. Although after all their work he lost a week later. In 1966 wealthy California conservatives urged him to run for governor. At first he refused, but finally they persuaded him and he agreed. In January 1966 54 year old Ronald Reagan went into California politics as a candidate for governor. A committee of wealthy friends supported Reagan's campaign. The election placed Reagan against popular democratic candidate Pat Brown. Brown didn't take Reagan very seriously. "While I was working for this state as a district attorney, and for the last eight years a governor, what was my opponent doing?" exclaimed Brown. "Well he was making movies like Bedtime for Bonzo. On the day of November eight, 1966 Californians made their choice. By an amazing vote of 3,742,913 to 2,749,174, Ronald Reagan won the election and became the new governor of California. On January 2, 1967 people came to the state capitol in Sacramento to see Reagan's inauguration. Reagan had recently quit smoking and realized he loved chewing on jellybeans during meetings. After Reagan stated his desires he had his aides and department heads carry out his policies. He had promised to cut taxes but soon raised them.
In the late 1960's many Californians were angry because of American participation in the Vietnam War. When rioting and destruction occurred at some colleges Reagan acted quickly. He called upon state troopers and national guardsmen to stop violence. In 1970 Reagan was voted for a second term as governor of California. Republicans throughout the country regarded him as their most effective spokesman. But Republicans once again voted Nixon for their presidential candidate. In 1975 Richard Nixon resigned due to the famous Watergate scandal. Suddenly Vice-president Gerald Ford became president. In 1976 Reagan challenged Ford for the Republican spot but once again lost by a close count. The democratic candidate Jimmy Carter was elected.
In 1980 as the election approached Reagan finally won the chance to represent the Republican Party as a candidate for president. Many thought Reagan to be one of the most effective Republican speakers. In alarm he doubled his schedule of speeches in New Hampshire, the first state to hold a primary vote to elect conventional delegates. Reagan's fiery energy helped him win the state of New Hampshire. In July 1980 Ronald Reagan chose his vice-president George Bush. Reagan would be running against democratic candidate Jimmy Carter. He would also be running against the independent candidate John Anderson. Many who were against Reagan mocked him because of some of the movies he made in his acting past. But his past career proved great value to Reagan. In interviews he communicated with poise, wit, and skillful timing. Reagan put his communicating ability to its greatest test in the televised debate. His closing remarks were, "Next week when all of you will go to the polls; you'll stand there...and make a decision. I think when you make that decision, it might be well if you would ask yourself: Are you better off than you were four years ago?" Which swayed the opinion of millions of voters. On Election Day, November 4, 1980, Americans decided they wanted a change. When the votes were finally counted they revealed: Ronald Reagan received 489 electoral votes and Jimmy Carter received 49, as Ronald Reagan became the 40th president of the United States.
January 20, 1981 thousands packed the streets of Washington, D.C. to see the inauguration of Ronald Reagan. Near the front of the capitol people jammed in for the swearing in ceremony. As he took the oath of office he officially became the 40th and at 69 the oldest president. In spite of his age many sensed Reagan would charge ahead to lead the nation with renewed spirit and hope. Reagan relied on his staff and department heads to carry out orders. Reagan quickly tackled the nation's weak economy. On March 30, 1981, a shocking attack on Reagan interrupted all government business. A policeman, secret service agent and White House press secretary James Brady were all shot by the crazed assassin John Hinckley Jr. Another shot bounced off the doorframe of Reagan's limousine and hit him in the chest. Despite being 70, Reagan made a quick recovery. The reason for Hinckley's outrage was that he saw the movie Taxi Driver, about an attempted assassination. He fell in love with its young actress Jodi Foster. To show his love for her, Hinckley had madly vowed to kill the president. In time a court declared Hinckley insane and a judge committed him to a mental institution. Having survived this senseless assassination attempt, Reagan came from the hospital more popular than ever.
Many Americans were upset about problems in the Environmental Protection Agency and cutbacks in domestic programs. The national debt was rising to record levels, too, reaching $110 billion in 1982 and $195 billion in 1983. Political opponents complained about Reagan's foreign policies. In a Middle Eastern nation of Lebanon, Christian and Muslim religious sects had been fighting an ugly civil war. With Reagan's direction, eight hundred U.S. Marines landed at the Lebanese capital of Beirut in August 1982. On October 23, 1983 a Muslim terrorist rammed a truck through a fence at the U.S. Marine compound. The bomb filled truck crashed into the main head quarters destroying it and killing 241 Marines almost instantly.
As Reagan advanced through his first term as president, his easy personal warmth, good humor, and real concern about the nation's future won him the hearts of millions of Americans. Whenever Democrats threatened to fight his programs, Reagan took his message directly to the people. He televised speeches as well as his regular Saturday broadcasts, which earned him the nickname "The Great Communicator". Others remembered Reagan's famous movie role as a football star "George Gipp, liked calling him "The Gipper".
Although he was seventy, he was still in good health. At the White House he exercised daily, lifting weights and pedaling on an exercise bike. When the 1984 election approached Americans felt a sense of national pride under Reagan's authority. Democrats searched to find a candidate to challenge Reagan. They finally awarded the nomination to former vice-president Walter Mondale. Mondale chose Geraldine Ferraro for his vice-president, the first woman vice-president ever chosen. Reagan went once again with George Bush. Although Reagan seemed unbeatable he campaigned hard. On November 7, 1984 Americans voted and the astonishing results were: Reagan 525 electoral votes, Walter Mondale 13. By that huge margin Ronald Reagan was elected for a second term as the President of the United States. On January 20, 1985 at The White House, Reagan was sworn in with the oath of office at his inauguration. As Reagan started his second term the U.S. military ceased action in the Persian Gulf War. The war between Iran and Iraq spilled into the gulf's shipping lanes. The oil tankers that traveled through that water were in danger. Seeing a possible loss of America's oil supply, Reagan sent a U.S. Navy task force to the gulf. On May 17 a missile slammed into the U.S. frigate Stark. 37 sailors had died in the accidental attack. Finally in 1988 the war ended and peace came to the Persian Gulf.
In July 1985 doctors discovered a tumor two inches long growing on his large intestine. Ronald Reagan had cancer. Reagan underwent surgery. Through the next five days Reagan's recovery was surprisingly speedy and doctors announced the full success of the operation. When Reagan got out of the hospital he said he felt great and was eager to get back to work.
Finally in 1988 Reagan's presidency ended. During his eight years as president he did a great job. On November 8, 1988 Reagan's vice-president George Bush became the president of the United States. Many say Ronald Reagan was one of America's greatest and most popular presidents.