Reagan Administrations - Introduction

Introduction

Handsome and charismatic, Ronald Reagan had already made a name for himself in movies and television by the time he entered politics in the 1960s. Reagan's sincere manner and straightforward speeches appealed to voters, and helped him win election to the governorship of California, and later the presidency of the United States. Highly popular while in office, as a conservative Republican, Reagan sought to shift the federal government away from the large and active style of governing that had dominated U.S. politics since the 1940s, while also providing for a strong defense against the Soviet Union.