Reagan was born in Illinois to an Irish-Catholic father and a strongly Protestant (Disciples of Christ) mother … the latter whose Christianity would have a very strong impact in the way Reagan would grow up understanding the world and its ways.  Also, as a youth, Reagan was very close to his Dixon, Illinois, pastor … and the pastor's daughter, whom he dated through high school and college.  But when she went off to Europe after graduation, she broke off their engagement. Somehow this did not seem to have shaken his private  Christian faith. But his church attendance dropped away to only infrequent visits, really never to recover until years later, after he left the White House.

Reagan soon moved into the world of the media, first as a sports-radio announcer in Iowa for several years, then heading off to California in 1937, where a screen test opened up a contract with Warner Brothers, at first doing bit parts, but then moving up in importance in the roles he played.  His leading role in the Knute Rockne movie (1940) brought him finally to stardom.

When America went to war in 1941, Reagan was activated from his former status as a Second Lieutenant in the Reserves to active duty.  He soon quite naturally found his way to the military's Public Relations operations (his poor eyesight would keep him from overseas service), making a huge number of public relations and training films and conducting war-bond campaigns.

After the war Reagan was elected president of the Screen-Actors Guild, serving (1947-1952) during some of the most tormented time for the Hollywood film industry, as it came under Congress's close scrutiny for Communist tendencies. But he himself, being a fervent anti-Communist, tried to work with Congress to bring this issue to some kind of a healthy solution.  This would introduce him to the world of politics, and all of its particular dynamics.  As he himself put matters, his goal was to try to get the country past its fears and resentments, lest this should itself undo the democratic foundations of the country.  This would remain a political theme for him for the rest of his life.

Reagan's marriage to actress Jane Wyman (1940-1949) ended when she divorced him for political differences stirred up by his work, ones that had produced deep tensions in their marriage (she was a strong Republican and he, at the time, was a strong Democrat!).  But he soon met (1949) and then married (1952) Nancy Davis, first having helped her clear up the confusion of her being identified as the black-listed Communist actress with the same name.  But unlike his first marriage, his second marriage would be characterized by a deep harmony that always was there between the two.

But Nancy was not a Christian in the way Reagan was, and seemed to enjoy consulting "seers" and horoscopes for decisions about life.  This would deeply concern many of his Christian associates.  But it never seemed to bother Reagan, nor apparently affect his own tendency to spend a lot of time in prayer and Biblical reflection.  Reagan's faith was not very doctrinal, mostly just very experiential.  He thought of himself as simply walking with God, not directing a theological enterprise.

During the 1950s Reagan (now the weekly host of the popular TV show, General Electric Theater) would find himself moving into a much more Conservative position in the world of politics, for instance, becoming an Eisenhower and then Nixon supporter.  And by 1964 he was called on to address the Republican National Convention in support of the very Conservative Barry Goldwater as its presidential candidate.  His "A Time for Choosing" speech would resonate deeply within the ranks of the Republican Party, and in 1966 he was called on to run as the Republican governor of California.  He took a strong stance against government waste and the student protest movement rocking the country.  That fall he defeated the two-term (Liberal Democrat) governor, Pat Brown. And as governor, he honored his pledges, especially the financial ones, and was re-elected governor four years later.  And in finishing his second term (early 1975) he began to organize for a run at the office of U.S. president.  Ultimately it was Ford that received the Republican nomination in 1976.  But four years later Reagan would finally achieve his goal of answering what he was certain was his call to lead America forward as a Godly nation.

Just barely two months in office, Reagan and three others were shot and wounded (his Press Secretary James Brady quite badly) by John Hinckley, Jr., as the President and his team were leaving a luncheon meeting in Washington, D.C.  The insane Hinkley performed the shooting in the belief that this action would bring him the attention he craved from actress Jodie Foster.  Reagan suffered a punctured lung and internal bleeding, and was rushed to the George Washington University Hospital.  At this point the Twenty-fifth Amendment on presidential succession went into effect, with Vice President Bush taking on temporary presidential authority.

Reagan recovered in the hospital rather quickly (twelve days before returning to the White House), including his sense of humor.  But Brady suffered brain damage and was permanently paralyzed.  Ultimately Hinckley was found innocent by reasons of insanity and consigned to a psychiatric ward (until 2015).

And overall, the Americans rather generally swung together in unity behind the President, his popularity ratings hitting nearly 75 percent at that point.

Although America would play no real role in the war which broke out between Argentina and Great Britain in early April of 1982 (lasting ten weeks), it would have a strong impact on America in the way that the military resolve under the British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher impressed not only Reagan (he and Thatcher would become close friends) but also the American people, who were increasingly supportive of exactly that same kind of leadership: again, "tough" replacing "nice."

The Argentinian military, which was facing increasing opposition to its dictatorial rule from the Argentinian population, gambled on the idea that seizing the British-held Falkland Islands (300 miles offshore from the southern tip of Argentina in the South Atlantic) would restore Argentinian national pride and Argentinian support of the military rulers of their country.  The gamble did not work.  The Argentinian military found itself up against the "Iron Lady" Thatcher, who immediately sent the British navy and army to drive the Argentines off the islands. An undeclared war broke out, with a British submarine sinking the Argentinian ship General Belgrano, with a serious loss of life, and the return of the Argentinian navy back to port.  But the British suffered naval losses no less, when a number of their ships were sunk by Argentinian planes.  But step by step British troops were able to overcome Argentinian defenses and finally in June, with the British taking of the key city of Stanley, the Argentines surrendered.

The outcome of the war was the collapse finally of Argentina's military dictatorship – with the restoration of democracy via the Argentinian general election of 1983. And in Britain, not surprisingly, there was a huge rise in the popularity of Thatcher and the Conservative Party.