THE MODERN PRESIDENCY:  The Roles of the President Use this information and these video segments from President Ronald Reagan's experiences to better understand the many roles of a modern president.  Click on the roles below to jump to the respective section of the lesson. Public Speaker   |  Chief Diplomat  |  Commander-in-Chief | Chief Executive

Public Speaker  Presidents give many speeches -- some to commemorate a historic event, some to rally the morale of the nation behind a cause, others to persuade political opponents. Print off this worksheet and use it to help analyze one of Ronald Reagan's speeches. • View Worksheet Reagan Speeches (Click the name of a speech below to play its video segment.) •First Inaugural Address (1/20/81) 23 min. • Speech after Challenger Space Shuttle Tragedy (1/28/86) 4 min.  • "Tear Down This Wall" speech in Berlin, Germany (1/11/89) 26 min. View more Ronald Reagan speeches on the C-SPAN Ronald Reagan page.

Chief Diplomat  Being a diplomat involves interacting with leaders from other nations. The president takes the lead in foreign relations by associating with foreign leaders and, along with the help of Congress, develops a foreign policy with other nations. During his presidency, Ronald Reagan engaged in diplomatic efforts to end the Cold War.  Use these clips and the accompanying questions to understand the role of the president as chief diplomat.  President Ronald Reagan in Berlin, Germany W hy was this a significant moment in Cold War history? Why do the words "tear down this wall" define President Reagan’s speech?   • Watch Video (6/12/87) 4 min.

Commander-in-Chief  The president is the commander-in-chief of the U.S. armed forces. That means all of the military leaders report to and take orders from the president. The president performs this duty as a civilian, someone who is not in military service. With the Cold War giving shape to President Reagan’s foreign policy, it was also a factor impacting defense spending and military action.  Use these videos and the accompanying questions to understand the role of the president as Commander-in-Chief.  1981 Inaugural Address —excerpt on defense strategy.  How do you think Ronald Reagan’s references to defense spending in his 1981 inaugural address compared to his remarks in his 1985 address? What military legacy did the leaders of the 1980s inherit from the 1970s?  • Watch Video  (1/20/81) 3 min.  The Intercontinental Balistic Missile (IBM) from Nancy Reagan Tour of the Reagan Presidential Library  What did the IBM missile represent during the 1980s in the move toward nuclear non-proliferation?  • Watch Video (12/7/99) 1 min.

Chief Executive  The president is the chief executive, empowered to administer the laws and affairs of the nation. While the president does not make the laws, his agencies have the responsibility, and authority to carry out the laws. In this role the president has jurisdiction over all federal employees.  Use this video and the accompanying questions to learn about President Reagan's role in the 1981 airline strike.   Air Traffic Controllers Strike  How was this an example of the president as the chief executive? What was the impact on the nation?  • Watch Clip (6/8/04) 2 min.