Ronald Reagan Timeline

Reagan defeated incumbent President Jimmy Carter in a landslide, winning 44 states and 489 electoral votes. Republicans also gained control of the Senate for the first time since 1955, ushering in the 'Reagan Revolution.'

Image source: 1980 United States presidential election

Just 69 days into his presidency, Reagan was shot and seriously wounded outside the Washington Hilton Hotel by John Hinckley Jr. His humor and composure during recovery, joking with doctors and staff, boosted his public popularity enormously.

Image source: Attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan

Reagan nominated Sandra Day O'Connor as the first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, fulfilling a campaign promise and making history when she was confirmed unanimously by the Senate.

Image source: Sandra Day O'Connor

When over 11,000 air traffic controllers went on strike illegally, Reagan fired those who refused to return to work within 48 hours. The decisive action was seen as a turning point for organized labor in America.

Image source: Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (1968)

Reagan signed the largest tax cut in U.S. history at the time, reducing individual income tax rates by 25 percent over three years, embodying his supply-side 'Reaganomics' philosophy of tax cuts and deregulation.

Image source: Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981

In a televised address, Reagan announced plans for a space-based missile defense system designed to protect America from nuclear attack. Critics dubbed it 'Star Wars,' and it became one of the most controversial defense programs of the Cold War.

Image source: Strategic Defense Initiative

Reagan crushed Walter Mondale, carrying 49 states and 525 electoral votes—the most ever won by a presidential candidate. His 'Morning in America' optimism and economic recovery fueled the historic victory.

Image source: 1984 United States presidential election

Reports revealed that administration officials had secretly sold arms to Iran and diverted proceeds to Contra rebels in Nicaragua, violating U.S. law. The scandal damaged Reagan's second term, though he remained personally popular.

Image source: Iran–Contra affair

Standing before the Brandenburg Gate, Reagan challenged Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to 'tear down this wall.' The speech became one of the most iconic moments of the Cold War, symbolizing American resolve against communism.

Image source: Tear down this wall!

Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev signed the landmark treaty eliminating all intermediate-range nuclear missiles, the first agreement to abolish an entire class of nuclear weapons and a milestone in easing Cold War tensions.

Image source: Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty

After eight years in office, Reagan bade farewell in a televised address, warning of fading national memory and describing America as a 'shining city upon a hill.' He left office with approval ratings among the highest of any modern president.

Months after Reagan left office, the Berlin Wall fell amid revolutions across Eastern Europe. Many credited Reagan's military buildup and diplomatic pressure on the Soviet Union with hastening the collapse of communism.

Image source: Fall of the Berlin Wall

President George H. W. Bush awarded Reagan the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, recognizing his lifetime of service to the country as actor, governor, and president.

Image source: Presidential Medal of Freedom

In a poignant handwritten letter, Reagan revealed he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, hoping to raise public awareness. His announcement helped destigmatize the illness and spurred research funding.

The U.S. Congress awarded both Ronald and Nancy Reagan the Congressional Gold Medal, honoring their decades of service to the nation, one of the highest expressions of national appreciation for distinguished achievements.

Image source: Congressional Gold Medal

Reagan died of pneumonia complicated by Alzheimer's disease at his home in Los Angeles. At 93 years and 119 days, he was the longest-lived U.S. president at the time of his death.

Image source: Death and state funeral of Ronald Reagan

Reagan lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda as more than 100,000 mourners paid their respects. A national funeral service at Washington National Cathedral drew world leaders, followed by burial at his presidential library in Simi Valley, California.