George W. Bush
The 43rd U.S. president whose tenure was defined by the September 11 attacks, two protracted wars, and a transformative domestic education law.
Born 1946 (age 80)·President of the United States from 2001 to 2009·Birthday: July 6·Baby Boomers
Biography
George W. Bush's path to the White House was anything but linear. The son of a president, he struggled in business before finding his footing in Texas politics, where he cultivated a persona of plainspoken resolve. Elected governor in 1994, he championed education reform and compassionate conservatism. His presidency, beginning in 2001, was irrevocably shaped by the terrorist attacks of September 11. He launched a global war on terror, ordering invasions of Afghanistan and, controversially, Iraq, decisions that would dominate his legacy. Domestically, he signed the No Child Left Behind Act, a sweeping bipartisan education bill, and pushed through major tax cuts. His second term was battered by the chaotic federal response to Hurricane Katrina and the 2008 financial crisis. In retirement, he turned to painting and established a presidential center, often presenting a more reflective figure than the decisive commander-in-chief of his era.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
George was born in 1946, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When George Was Born
The biggest hits of 1946
#1 Movie
The Best Years of Our Lives
Best Picture
The Best Years of Our Lives
George's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1946Born
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1951Started school
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1959Became a teenager
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Could drive
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1964Could vote
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Turned 21
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1976Turned 30
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 40
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 50
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 60
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 70
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 80
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Signed the No Child Left Behind Act, a major federal education reform law emphasizing standardized testing and accountability.
- Ordered the U.S. invasions of Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003, initiating prolonged military conflicts.
- Created the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a globally impactful initiative to combat HIV/AIDS.
- Appointed John Roberts as Chief Justice of the United States and Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court.
Did You Know?
He is the only U.S. president to have earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree.
He owned the Texas Rangers baseball team before becoming governor of Texas.
He has published several books of portraits of veterans and world leaders painted after his presidency.
“I can hear you. The rest of the world hears you. And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon.”
