Timeline Description: George H. W. Bush was America's 41st president. He is one of only two presidents whose son were elected to the presidency as well. He is the oldest living president.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1924 | George H. W. Bush is born George's given name was George Herbert Walker Bush. He was born in Massachusetts into a political family as his father was a U.S. Senator. |
| 1941 | Pearl Harbor Attack After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Bush was inclined to join the fight. As soon as he turned 18, he enlisted in the United States Navy. |
| 1945 | Marriage Shortly after returning home from active duty, George married his sweetheart. George and Barbara were married on January 6. |
| 1948 | A Yale graduate When the war ended, George enrolled in college. He graduated from Yale University in 1948. |
| 1951 | George the businessman After graduation, George and his family moved to Texas. George worked for other companies before starting his own oil company, Bush-Overbey Oil Development Company. |
| 1966 | A move into politics George ran for a senate seat in 1964 but lost. Then, in 1966 he was elected to the House of Representatives. |
| 1971 | The United Nations Mr. Bush was defeated for a senate seat for a second time. This time, President Nixon took notice. He appointed George the Ambassador to the United Nations. |
| 1980 | Vice president Mr. Bush attempted to run as the republican candidate in the 1980 election, but he didn't win the nomination. Instead, he was chosen as Ronald Reagan's vice president. |
| 1984 | His second vice-presidential election President Reagan ran for a second term with Bush as his running mate. George had been tremendously helpful to Reagan, including helping get the drug-smuggling problem under control. |
| 1988 | President! Mr. Bush began his presidential campaign early, announcing he planned to run as early as 1985. He used his famous, "Read my lips: no new taxes" quote during his campaign. |
| 1989 | Points of Light During his presidency, Bush began the Point of Light Award. It has been awarded to more than 5000 recipients to date, and is a reward given to people making a significant difference in the lives of others. |
| 1990 | The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 One of President Bush's greatest accomplishments during his term was the signing of the ADA. It would prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities. |
| 1990 | A raise in taxes and a fall in support In 1990, President Bush broke his "no new taxes" campaign promise. The break lost him the support of most of the country, and probably cost him re-election. |
| 1992 | A lost election President Bush ran for re-election in the 1992 election. However, his reputation had been badly damaged due to his raising the taxes two years before as well as the bad economy, and he lost the election to Bill Clinton. |
| 1997 | The George Bush Presidential Library Mr. Bush's presidential library is the tenth of its kind, and it holds the papers of President Bush and his vice president, Dan Quayle. Today, President Bush is held in high regard and he continues serving the country. |