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About This Quiz
Ronald Reagan knowledge quiz: Test your knowledge of the 40th president of the United States. From Hollywood actor to governor to president, see how much you remember about the legend and the man.
When was Ronald Reagan born?
June 26, 1901
February 6, 1911
Ronald Reagan was born on February 6, 1911. Reagan's father was a salesman and a storyteller, the grandson of Irish Catholic immigrants from County Tipperary, while his mother was of half Scottish and half English descent.
March 17, 2001
April 16, 1945
Where was Ronald Reagan born?
Tampa, Florida
Boston, Massachusetts
Tampico, Illinois
Ronald Reagan was born on February 6, 1911, in Tampico, Illinois. Tampico is located about 110 miles west of Chicago.
Dallas, Texas
What was Ronald Reagan's middle name?
Wilson
Ronald Reagan's middle name was Wilson. Reagan had one older brother, Neil (1908–1996).
George
Joseph
Martin
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What was Ronald Reagan's childhood nickname?
Bill
Jojo
Dutch
Ronald Reagan's father nicknamed him "Dutch" when he was a child. The name nickname was due to his "fat little Dutchman" appearance, and his "Dutchboy" haircut.
Mickey
What was Ronald Reagan's first job?
lifeguard
Ronald Reagan's first job was as a lifeguard at the Rock River in Lowell Park, near Dixon, Illinois, in 1927. Over a six-year period, Reagan reportedly performed 77 rescues as a lifeguard.
paper boy
milk delivery boy
tutor
What did Ronald Reagan major in while in college at Eureka College in Illinois?
Mathematics
Geography
Economics
Ronald Reagan majored in Economics while at Eureka College, and he also studied sociology. He became a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity and he was a cheerleader. He graduated with a C average.
History
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After college, Ronald Reagan worked as an announcer for what organization?
The White House
KYTFB local news
the college radio station
The Chicago Cubs
After college, Ronald Reagan drove to Iowa, where he landed a job as the baseball announcer for the Chicago Cubs. His specialty was creating play-by-play accounts of games, using as his source only basic descriptions that the station received by wire as the games were in progress.
While traveling with the Cubs in California, what life-changing decision did Reagan make?
He went bankrupt
He got married
He bought a majority stake in the team
He took a screen test
In 1937, while traveling with the Chicago Cubs, Reagan first took a movie screen test. That test led to a seven-year contract with Warner Bros. This was Reagan's "big break" into the movie industry.
What was Ronald Reagan's first screen credit?
"Hungry Hungry Hippos"
"Frost vs Nixon"
"Love is on the Air"
Ronald Reagan's first screen credit was for the movie, "Love Is on the Air." The movie was released in 1937. By the end of 1939, he had already appeared in 19 films.
"Prestige"
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When did Ronald Reagan enlist in the Army Enlisted Reserve?
June 2, 1921
March 31, 1995
April 20, 1939
May 25, 1937
Ronald Reagan enlisted in the Army Enlisted Reserve on May 25, 1937. He completed 14 home study courses and then enlisted. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Officers Reserve Corps of the cavalry. Reagan was ordered to active duty for the first time on April 18, 1942. Due to his poor eyesight, he was classified for limited service only, which excluded him from serving overseas. Reagan never left the United States during the war.
When was Ronald Reagan elected to the Board of Directors of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG)?
1932
1941
Ronald Reagan was first elected to the Board of Directors of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) in 1941. At that time, he served as an alternate member. After World War II, he resumed service and became third vice-president in 1946. The adoption of conflict-of-interest bylaws in 1947 led the SAG president and six board members to resign; Reagan was nominated in a special election for the position of president and was subsequently elected.
1937
1935
During the late 1940s, Reagan provided what organization with names of actors that he believed to be Communist sympathizers?
CIA
FBI
Ronald Reagan, in his capacity as SAG president, provided the FBI with names of individuals that he believed were Communist sympathizers. He was a firm anti-Communist. He testified before the House Un-American Activities Committee on the subject as well.
Canadian government
Russian government
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What was the name of Ronald Reagan's first wife?
Martha Wood
Emily Haines
Rebecca Hurston
Jane Wyman
Reagan and Wyman married on January 26, 1940, in Glendale, California. They had two biological children (one only lived one day) and adopted a third. Wyman filed for divorce after they disagreed about Reagan's political ambitions.
How did Ronald Reagan meet his second wife, Nancy Davis?
They met through friends
They worked together on a film
She approached him, In his capacity as SAG president, to help her with issues regarding her name appearing on a Communist blacklist in Hollywood.
Ronald Reagan met Nancy Davis in 1949 after she contacted him in his capacity as president of the Screen Actors Guild to help her with issues regarding her name appearing on a Communist blacklist in Hollywood. She had been mistaken for another Nancy Davis. They were engaged at Chasen's restaurant in Los Angeles and were married on March 4, 1952, at the Little Brown Church in the Valley. They had two children: Patti (born October 21, 1952) and Ronald "Ron" Jr. (born May 20, 1958).
They met at an industry party
How long were Nancy and Ronald Reagan married?
10 years
52 years
Nancy and Ronald Reagan were married from March 4, 1952, until his death on June 5, 2004. They were married for a total of 52 years. Their marriage was described as close, authentic, and intimate.
15 years
35 years
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What pet name did Ronald Reagan often call his wife, Nancy?
Mommy
Ronald Reagan often called Nancy "Mommy" and she called him "Ronnie." They truly stuck by each other through thick and thin.
Snookims
Baby
Ronnie
Reagan first registered as a Democrat. When did he move to the right and switch to Republican politics?
1937
1901
1955
1962
An FDR supporter, Reagan campaigned for Helen Gahagan Douglas in her fruitless 1950 Senate race against Richard Nixon and encouraged Dwight D. Eisenhower to run for President as a Democrat in 1952. By the time his party affiliation changed in 1962, Reagan's decision to cross over to the GOP didn't come as much of a surprise. "I didn't leave the Democratic Party," he famously said. "The party left me."
What was the title of the speech Reagan gave in his capacity as General Electric motivational speaker, that established his national political visibility?
A Time for Choosing
The A Time for Choosing speech was given on October 27, 1964. Reagan gained national attention in his speeches for conservative presidential contender Barry Goldwater in 1964. Speaking for Goldwater, Reagan stressed his belief in the importance of smaller government.
Change Is Coming
R-E-P-U-B-L-I-C NOW
Bye Bye Big Government
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In late 1965, after the momentum of the Time for Choosing speech, Reagan announced his candidacy for what office?
Mayor of Los Angeles
Governor of California
Ronald Reagan announced his candidacy for governor of California in late 1965, for the 1966 election. Reagan won the election. He was involved in several high-profile conflicts with protest movements of the era, including his public criticism of university administrators for tolerating student demonstrations at the University of California, Berkeley campus. He ultimately served two terms.
President of the US
US Senator
Reagan announced his candidacy for President of the United States in ________ and therefore took on ________ in the party nomination race.
1981; Bush
1966; Nixon
1976; Ford
Ronald Reagan announced his candidacy in 1976 and took on the incumbent, President Gerald Ford, for the Republican Party's nomination. Reagan soon established himself as the conservative candidate with the support of like-minded organizations such as the American Conservative Union, which became key components of his political base, while President Ford was considered a more moderate Republican. Reagan ultimately lost the nomination.
1971; Carter
Reagan ran against incumbent Jimmy Carter in the 1980 presidential election, during what hostage crisis?
Sudan
Iran
The Iranian Hostage Crisis was a diplomatic standoff between Iran and the United States. The hostage situation lasted for 444 days, from November 4, 1979, to January 20, 1981. It was a major issue in the 1980 presidential election. Reagan ultimately won the election and weathered the storm.
Iraq
Georgia
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When the US presidents are listed in chronological order, where does Ronald Reagan's name appear?
21st
35th
40th
Ronald Reagan became the 40th US president on January 20, 1981. At the time, Reagan was the oldest person elected to the office, at age 69. In addition, he was the oldest president at the time of inauguration.
32nd
A lone gunman tried to assassinate Ronald Reagan in his first term, on what date?
November 5, 1980
December 2, 1980
March 30, 1981
Ronald Reagan survived this attack on March 30, 1981. He recovered and was released from the hospital on April 11, becoming the first serving U.S. president to survive being shot in an assassination attempt. The incident had great influence on Reagan's popularity; polls indicated his approval rating to be around 73%. Reagan believed that God spared his life so that he might go on to fulfill a greater purpose.
January 20, 1981
Who tried to kill Reagan?
Sirhan Sirhan
Lee Harvey Oswald
James Earl Ray
John Hinckley, Jr.
John Hinckley, Jr., attempted to kill President Reagan on March 30, 1981. Hinckley was declared insane and sent to St. Elizabeth's mental hospital in Washington, D.C. O'Neill, then-Democratic Speaker of the House, actually liked Reagan as a person.
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Who was President Reagan's vice president?
Gerald Ford
Richard Nixon
Jimmy Carter
George Bush
George Bush was President Reagan's vice president. VP Bush once headed the CIA. He also served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas.
Reagan pushed through Congress what was then the biggest tax cut in American history. What was the overall percentage rate of tax reduction over three years?
20
15
25
President Reagan pushed through a percentage rate of tax reduction of 25%. President Reagan actually wanted a 30% cut, but compromised with Congress. Congress had been concerned about deficit spending.
30
Reagan was once quoted as saying: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" Which wall was he referring to?
Berlin Wall
Ronald Reagan gave a speech on June 12, 1987, at the Brandenburg Gate of the Berlin Wall. He said: "General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" A large piece of the onetime Berlin Wall is exhibited outside Reagan's presidential library in California.
Cheese Wall
Red Wall
Tehran Wall
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The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum is located where?
Chicago, Illinois
Tampa, Florida
Maryland, Maine
Simi Valley, California
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum is located in Simi Valley, California. The street address, 40 Presidential Drive, is numbered in honor of Reagan's place as the 40th President. The site was dedicated on November 4, 1991.
Reagan announced a war on what in 1982?
War
Cats
Drugs
Reagan announced a War on Drugs in 1982. The announcement came in response to concerns about the increasing crack cocaine epidemic. Although President Nixon had previously declared a war on drugs, Reagan advocated more militant policies, driven by his conservative stance. He promised to fight for drug-free schools and workplaces. He expanded drug treatment, law enforcement, drug interdiction efforts, and greater public awareness.
Iran
Reagan was diagnosed with what in August 1994?
Colon cancer
Heart disease
Cancer
Alzheimer's disease
In August 1994, at the age of 83, Reagan was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. After her husband's diagnosis and death, Nancy Reagan became a stem-cell research advocate, urging Congress and President George W. Bush to support federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research, something Bush opposed.
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Reagan set a record in October 2001 - what was it?
Most popular president
Longest-living American president
Ronald Reagan held the record for the longest-living American president. The previous record was 90 years and 247 days, held by John Adams. Reagan was 93 years and 119 days when he died on June 5, 2004. President Gerald Ford beat his record when he died in 2007. He was 93 years and five months old, a mere month older than Reagan when he died.
Lowest presidential approval rating ever
Tallest president
Reagan died of pneumonia, complicated by Alzheimer's disease, on what date?
March 18, 1994
October 15, 2001
June 5, 2004
Ronald Reagan died on June 5, 2004. On June 9, Reagan's body was flown to Washington, D.C., where he became the tenth U.S. president to lie in state. Over a period of thirty-four hours, 104,684 people filed past the coffin
January 20, 1981
Which airport was renamed the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in his honor?
Dallas Airport
LA Airport
Cleveland Airport
Washington National Airport
On Reagan's 87th birthday, in 1998, the Washington National Airport was renamed Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. It was accomplished by a bill signed into law by President Bill Clinton, a Democrat.
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Ronald Reagan was the first US President who was what?
A Democrat, then a Repulican
a Californian
an actor beforehand
divorced
Ronald Reagan was the first American president to be divorced. He and his first wife divorced after they disagreed about his political ambitions.
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