Reagan was born and raised in Illinois and moved to California in the 1930s where he later met his second wife, Nancy. Before entering politics, he was a Hollywood actor, President of the Screen Actors Guild, and a spokesman for General Electric. Previously a New Deal Democrat, Reagan became a conservative Republican in 1962. During his work for General Electric Theatre, he began to articulate the political themes that would carry him into the California Governorship, which he won in 1966. He developed these themes during two presidential bids: the first, unsuccessful, in 1976, and the second, which he won, in 1980.

Reagan stated that his two proudest achievements were expanding the economy and restoring American morale following a time of political setbacks and economic stagflation. "Reaganomics," his economic policies, consisted of large tax cuts and moderate deregulation, resulting in about 16 million new jobs and significantly lower inflation rates. Reagan's policies, however, also resulted in record budget deficits and a soaring national debt. Less than two months into his first term, Reagan survived an assassination attempt. In 1984, he was reelected in a landslide. Reagan's administration saw a number of scandals, most notably the Iran-Contra Affair.

Reagan instituted his policy of "peace through strength" in an arms race with the Soviet Union. He rejected détente and confronted Communism, famously portraying the USSR as an "Evil Empire" and bolstering anti-Communist movements worldwide. Reagan negotiated with Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev to shrink both countries' nuclear arsenals and help bring a peaceful end to the Cold War.

In 1994, five years after leaving office, Reagan disclosed that he had been afflicted with Alzheimer's Disease, and died ten years later at the age of ninety-three.