George W. Bush | Biography, Presidency, & Facts

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py-lg-20 content md-expanded" data-topic-id="86112"> <div class="grid gx-0"> <div class="col-auto"> <div class="topic-left-rail md-article-drawer position-relative d-flex border-right-sm border-left-sm open"> <div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-W-Bush">George W. Bush</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/biography/George-W-Bush">Introduction & Top Questions</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref230036"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/George-W-Bush#ref230036">Early life</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref384545"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/George-W-Bush#ref384545">At a glance: the Bush presidency</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref230037"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/George-W-Bush/Governor-of-Texas">Governor of Texas</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref230038"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/George-W-Bush/Presidency">Presidency</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref278438"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/George-W-Bush/Presidency#ref278438">Early initiatives</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref278439"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/George-W-Bush/Presidency#ref278439">The September 11 attacks</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref278440"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/George-W-Bush/Presidency#ref278440">Domestic measures</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref278441"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/George-W-Bush/Presidency#ref278441">Treatment of detainees</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref278442"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/George-W-Bush/Presidency#ref278442">The Iraq War</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref278443"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/George-W-Bush/Presidency#ref278443">Road to war</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref278444"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/George-W-Bush/Presidency#ref278444">Operation Iraqi Freedom</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref278445"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/George-W-Bush/Presidency#ref278445">Occupation and insurgency</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref278446"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/George-W-Bush/Presidency#ref278446">Foreign aid</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref278447"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/George-W-Bush/Presidency#ref278447">Domestic affairs</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref278448"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/George-W-Bush/Presidency#ref278448">Education</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref278449"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/George-W-Bush/Presidency#ref278449">Medicare</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref278450"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/George-W-Bush/Presidency#ref278450">Reelection</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref278451"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/George-W-Bush/Presidency#ref278451">Social Security and immigration</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref278452"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/George-W-Bush/Presidency#ref278452">Environmental and science policy</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref278453"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/George-W-Bush/Presidency#ref278453">Later developments and assessment</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref278454"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/George-W-Bush/Presidency#ref278454">2006 elections</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref278455"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/George-W-Bush/Presidency#ref278455">The Plame affair</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref286079"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/George-W-Bush/Presidency#ref286079">Postpresidential activities</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref278456"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/George-W-Bush/Cabinet-of-Pres-George-W-Bush">Cabinet of Pres. George W. Bush</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li></ul> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-W-Bush/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/George-W-Bush">Quick Facts & Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-W-Bush/images-videos">Images, Videos & Interactives</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/78/73178-050-00309E51/George-W-Bush.jpg" data-href="/media/1/86112/67748" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/78/73178-004-5BD5A891/George-W-Bush.jpg" alt="George W. 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Bush and his family, 1964" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/47/182147-050-93366615/George-W-Bush-Yale-University-1964.jpg" data-href="/media/1/86112/220079" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/47/182147-004-69F9560C/George-W-Bush-Yale-University-1964.jpg" alt="George W. Bush at Yale University" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/48/182148-050-662CEEED/George-W-Bush-wife-couple-daughters-Laura-1993.jpg" data-href="/media/1/86112/220080" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/48/182148-004-5B2B6AEC/George-W-Bush-wife-couple-daughters-Laura-1993.jpg" alt="George W. Bush and his family, 1993" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/64/182164-050-D2C3445B/George-W-Bush-HW-White-House-South-1992.jpg" data-href="/media/1/86112/220101" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/64/182164-004-B7D9C858/George-W-Bush-HW-White-House-South-1992.jpg" alt="George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush, 1992" height="50" /> </a> <a href="" data-href="/media/1/86112/312283" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/40/254740-049-80B8D7A4/George-W-Bush-43rd-president-of-the-United-States-2001-09-Republican-Party-Infogram-interactive.jpg" alt="Presidency of George W. 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Bush</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2013/07/07/us/george-w-bush-fast-facts/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">CNN - George W. Bush fast facts</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/george-w-bush/" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">The White House - Biography of George W. Bush</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/usa/government/potus-bush-43.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">GlobalSecurity.org - George W. Bush</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h2023.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">United States History - Biography of George W. Bush</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-title">Britannica Websites</div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-subtitle">Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.</div> <ul class="list-unstyled bps-topic-web-sites lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/George-W-Bush/345458" target="_blank" rel="noopener">George W. Bush - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/George-W-Bush/344658" target="_blank" rel="noopener">George W. Bush - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 js-header-ai-ask-button d-none btn-sm btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="caption alternate-titles">Also known as: George Walker Bush</div> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/editor/Brian-Duignan/6469" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Brian Duignan</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Brian Duignan is a senior editor at Encyclopædia Britannica. His subject areas include philosophy, law, social science, politics, political theory, and religion.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Brian Duignan</span></div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2024-12-03T00:00:00CST" >Dec 3, 2024</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-W-Bush/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="qf-title font-weight-bold font-14 mb-10 text-center"> Quick Facts</div> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>In full: </dt> <dd>George Walker Bush</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Born: </dt> <dd>July 6, 1946, <a href="/place/New-Haven-Connecticut">New Haven</a>, <a href="/place/Connecticut">Connecticut</a>, <a href="/place/United-States">U.S.</a> (age 78)</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Title / Office: </dt> <dd><a href="/topic/presidency-of-the-United-States-of-America">presidency of the United States of America (2001-2009)</a>, <a href="/place/United-States">United States</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/governor-government-official">governor (1995-2001)</a>, <a href="/place/Texas-state">Texas</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Political Affiliation: </dt> <dd><a href="/topic/Republican-Party">Republican Party</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Notable Family Members: </dt> <dd>spouse <a href="/biography/Laura-Welch-Bush">Laura Welch Bush</a></dd> <dd>father <a href="/biography/George-H-W-Bush">George H. W. Bush</a></dd> <dd>mother <a href="/biography/Barbara-Bush">Barbara Bush</a></dd> <dd>brother <a href="/biography/Jeb-Bush">Jeb Bush</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class="facts-item-none d-none"> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Role In: </dt> <dd><a href="/event/Afghanistan-War">Afghanistan War</a></dd> <dd><a href="/event/Iraq-War">Iraq War</a></dd> <dd><a href="/event/Strategic-Arms-Reduction-Talks">Strategic Arms Reduction Talks</a></dd> <dd><a href="/money/Emergency-Economic-Stabilization-Act-of-2008">Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Homeland-Security-Act">Homeland Security Act</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/No-Child-Left-Behind-Act">No Child Left Behind Act</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/USA-PATRIOT-Act">USA PATRIOT Act</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/George-W-Bush"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> <button class="facts-list-show-more-btn mt-15 p-0 mx-auto btn font-14 d-block font-weight-normal"> <span class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></span> <span class="show-more-label">Show More</span> </button> </div><script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>What was George W. Bush\u2019s family like?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "George W. Bush was the eldest of six children of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/George-H-W-Bush\">George H.W. Bush<\/a>, who served as the 41st president of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/United-States\">United States<\/a> (1989\u201393), and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Barbara-Bush\">Barbara Bush<\/a>. His paternal grandfather, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Prescott-Bush\">Prescott Bush<\/a>, was a U.S. senator from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Connecticut\">Connecticut<\/a> (1952\u201363). " } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>Where was George W. Bush educated?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "From 1961 to 1964 George W. Bush attended Phillips Academy in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Andover-Massachusetts\">Andover<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Massachusetts\">Massachusetts<\/a>, the boarding school from which his father, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/George-H-W-Bush\">George H.W. Bush<\/a>, had graduated. He received a bachelor\u2019s degree in history from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Yale-University\">Yale University<\/a>, his father\u2019s and grandfather\u2019s alma mater, in 1968 and an M.B.A. from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Harvard-University\">Harvard University<\/a> in 1975." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>What did George W. Bush accomplish?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "A U.S. president, George W. Bush initiated what he called the \u201C<a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/war-on-terrorism\">war on terrorism<\/a>,\u201D portrayed as an American-led global counterterrorism campaign launched in response to the terrorist attacks of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/event\/September-11-attacks\">September 11, 2001<\/a>. Included were the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/event\/Afghanistan-War\">Afghanistan<\/a> (2001\u201314) and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/event\/Iraq-War\">Iraq<\/a> (2003\u201311) wars. Also, his administration sponsored reforms of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Medicare-United-States-health-insurance\">Medicare<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/No-Child-Left-Behind-Act\">U.S. education system<\/a>." } } ] } </script> <div class="top-questions qa-accordion d-flex flex-column module-spacing"><div class="font-weight-bold font-14 mb-5"> Top Questions </div><div id="intent-accordion" class="md-intent-accordion"><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="1"> <h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>What was George W. Bush’s family like?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3> <div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>George W. Bush was the eldest of six children of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-H-W-Bush" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">George H.W. Bush</a>, who served as the 41st president of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">United States</a> (1989–93), and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Barbara-Bush" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Barbara Bush</a>. His paternal grandfather, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Prescott-Bush" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Prescott Bush</a>, was a U.S. senator from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Connecticut" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Connecticut</a> (1952–63). </p></div></div> </div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="2"> <h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>Where was George W. Bush educated?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3> <div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>From 1961 to 1964 George W. Bush attended Phillips Academy in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Andover-Massachusetts" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Andover</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Massachusetts" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Massachusetts</a>, the boarding school from which his father, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-H-W-Bush" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">George H.W. Bush</a>, had graduated. He received a bachelor’s degree in history from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Yale-University" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Yale University</a>, his father’s and grandfather’s alma mater, in 1968 and an M.B.A. from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Harvard-University" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Harvard University</a> in 1975.</p></div></div> </div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="3"> <h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>What did George W. Bush accomplish?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3> <div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>A U.S. president, George W. Bush initiated what he called the “<a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/war-on-terrorism" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">war on terrorism</a>,” portrayed as an American-led global counterterrorism campaign launched in response to the terrorist attacks of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/September-11-attacks" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">September 11, 2001</a>. Included were the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Afghanistan-War" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Afghanistan</a> (2001–14) and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Iraq-War" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Iraq</a> (2003–11) wars. Also, his administration sponsored reforms of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Medicare-United-States-health-insurance" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Medicare</a> and the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/No-Child-Left-Behind-Act" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">U.S. education system</a>.</p></div></div> </div></div></div><div class="bg-gray-50 p-15 rounded module-spacing recent-news d-flex flex-column float-false"> <div> <h2 class="font-weight-bold font-14 m-0 d-inline"> News <span class="text-gray-600">•</span> </h2> <div class="recent-news-item first-recent-news-item d-inline"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/86112/1c7daf57241bee1ae49dc817a0afba1f" rel="nofollow">Chronister's withdrawal highlights how incoming presidents often lose Cabinet nominees</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Dec. 3, 2024, 6:26 PM ET (AP) <button class="btn btn-link d-inline p-0 font-12 js-toggle-recent-news"> <span class="text-gray-500">...</span><span>(Show more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/86112/6ad7c112e2e1af6ff4fe2ebb4117eef5" rel="nofollow">Biden's White House invitation to Trump continues a tradition Trump shunned in 2020</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 11, 2024, 3:57 PM ET (AP) </span> </div> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies multiple medialist slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100" data-type="other"><div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex"><div class="rw-track d-flex align-items-center"><div class="position-relative rw-slide col-100 px-20 "><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="195848" data-asm-type="video"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="video" video-id="172742"><a data-id="172742" class="gtm-assembly-link d-flex justify-content-center" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9" href="/video/overview-George-W-Bush/-195848"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/42/172742-138-B0830C03/overview-George-W-Bush.jpg?w=800&h=450&c=crop" alt="How September 11 and the Iraq War defined George W. Bush's presidency" loading="lazy"><script type="application/json"> { "sources": [ { "file" : "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/B5Hvy4FI.m3u8" } ], "image": "https://cdn.britannica.com/42/172742-138-B0830C03/overview-George-W-Bush.jpg" ,"tracks": [ { "file" : "//assets-jpcust.jwpsrv.com/tracks/x29vr5Fm", "label": "English" } ] ,"adfile": "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/k46Ryrpj.m3u8" } </script><div class="btn btn-xl btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; transform: translateY(-50%)"><em class="material-icons" data-icon="play_arrow"></em></div></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><span class="md-assembly-title font-weight-bold mr-5 d-inline font-sans-serif md-video-caption" video-control="172742">How September 11 and the Iraq War defined George W. Bush's presidency</span><span>An overview of George W. Bush.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div><a class="font-14 mt-10 d-inline-block" href="/biography/George-W-Bush/images-videos">See all videos for this article</a></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><button disabled="true" class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span></button><button disabled="true" class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span></button></div><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref670567"></span>George W. Bush</strong> (born July 6, 1946, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Haven-Connecticut" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">New Haven</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Connecticut" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Connecticut</a>, U.S.) is the 43rd president of the <span id="ref1002014"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">United States</a> (2001–09), who led his <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/nation-state" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">country’s</a> response to the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/September-11-attacks" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">September 11 terrorist attacks</a> in 2001 and initiated the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Iraq-War" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Iraq War</a> in 2003. Narrowly winning the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/electoral-college" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">electoral college</a> vote in 2000 over Vice Pres. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Al-Gore" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Al Gore</a> in one of the closest and most-controversial elections in American <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/history" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">history</a>, George W. Bush became the first person since <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Benjamin-Harrison-president-of-United-States" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Benjamin Harrison</a> in 1888 to be elected <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/president-government-official" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">president</a> despite having <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/list-of-US-presidential-elections-in-which-the-winner-lost-the-popular-vote" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">lost the nationwide popular vote</a>. Before his election as president, Bush was a businessman and served as governor of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Texas-state" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Texas</a> (1995–2000).</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="marker h2"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref230036"> <h2 class="h1">Early life</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies multiple medialist slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100" data-type="other"><div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex"><div class="rw-track d-flex align-items-center"><div class="position-relative rw-slide col-100 px-20 "><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="218049" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/92/181092-050-65E5F504/family-George-W-Bush-Parents-Houston-Texas-1964.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/86112/218049"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/92/181092-050-65E5F504/family-George-W-Bush-Parents-Houston-Texas-1964.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/92/181092-050-65E5F504/family-George-W-Bush-Parents-Houston-Texas-1964.jpg?w=300" alt="George H.W. Bush and his family, 1964" data-width="1262" data-height="1600" loading="eager"></picture><div class="position-absolute top-10 left-10 assembly-slide-tag rounded-lg">1 of 2</div><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/92/181092-050-65E5F504/family-George-W-Bush-Parents-Houston-Texas-1964.jpg" data-href="/media/1/86112/218049">George H.W. Bush and his family, 1964</a><span>The Bush family in 1964 in Houston, Texas. Parents George and Barbara Bush are shown sitting on the loveseat, their sons George W. Bush perching on the arm and Jeb Bush standing center.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div><div class="position-relative rw-slide col-100 px-20 "><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="220079" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/47/182147-050-93366615/George-W-Bush-Yale-University-1964.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/86112/220079"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/47/182147-050-93366615/George-W-Bush-Yale-University-1964.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/47/182147-050-93366615/George-W-Bush-Yale-University-1964.jpg?w=300" alt="George W. Bush at Yale University" data-width="1600" data-height="1101" loading="eager"></picture><div class="position-absolute top-10 left-10 assembly-slide-tag rounded-lg">2 of 2</div><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/47/182147-050-93366615/George-W-Bush-Yale-University-1964.jpg" data-href="/media/1/86112/220079">George W. Bush at Yale University</a><span>George W. Bush at Yale University, 1964.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><button disabled="true" class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span></button><button disabled="true" class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span></button></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Bush was the eldest of six children of <span id="ref670568"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-H-W-Bush" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">George H.W. Bush</a>, who served as the 41st president of the United States (1989–93), and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Barbara-Bush" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Barbara Bush</a>. His paternal grandfather, Prescott Bush, was a U.S. senator from Connecticut (1952–63). The younger Bush grew up largely in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Midland-Texas" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Midland</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Houston" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Houston</a>, Texas. From 1961 to 1964 he <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="attended" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/attended" data-type="EB">attended</a> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Phillips-Academy" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Phillips Academy</a> in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Andover-Massachusetts" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Andover</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Massachusetts" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Massachusetts</a>, the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/boarding-school" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">boarding school</a> from which his father had graduated. He received a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/bachelors-degree" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">bachelor’s degree</a> in history from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Yale-University" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Yale University</a>, his father’s and grandfather’s alma mater, in 1968. Bush was president of his fraternity and, like his father, a member of Yale’s secretive <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Skull-and-Bones-Yale" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Skull and Bones</a> society; unlike his father, he was only an average student and did not excel in athletics.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">In May 1968, two weeks before his graduation from Yale and the expiration of his student draft deferment, Bush applied as a pilot trainee in the Texas Air National Guard, whose members were less likely than regular soldiers to fight in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Vietnam-War" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Vietnam War</a>. <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="Commissioned" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/Commissioned" data-type="EB">Commissioned</a> a second lieutenant in July 1968, he became a certified fighter pilot in June 1970. In the fall of 1970, he applied for admission to the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/University-of-Texas" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">University of Texas</a> law school but was rejected. Although Bush apparently missed at least eight months of duty between May 1972 and May 1973, he was granted an early discharge so that he could start <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Harvard-University" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Harvard</a> Business School in the fall of 1973. His spotty military record resurfaced as a campaign issue in both the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections.</p><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="220080" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/48/182148-050-662CEEED/George-W-Bush-wife-couple-daughters-Laura-1993.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/86112/220080"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/48/182148-050-662CEEED/George-W-Bush-wife-couple-daughters-Laura-1993.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/48/182148-050-662CEEED/George-W-Bush-wife-couple-daughters-Laura-1993.jpg?w=300" alt="George W. Bush and his family, 1993" data-width="1112" data-height="1600" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/48/182148-050-662CEEED/George-W-Bush-wife-couple-daughters-Laura-1993.jpg" data-href="/media/1/86112/220080">George W. Bush and his family, 1993</a><span>George W. Bush with his wife, Laura, and the couple's daughters, Jenna (left) and Barbara, 1993.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">After receiving an M.B.A. from Harvard in 1975, Bush returned to Midland, where he began working for a Bush family friend, an oil and gas attorney, and later started his own oil and gas firm. He married <span id="ref784579"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Laura-Welch-Bush" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Laura Welch</a>, a teacher and librarian, in Midland in 1977. After an unsuccessful run for <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="Congress" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/Congress" data-type="EB">Congress</a> in 1978, Bush devoted himself to building his business. With help from his uncle, who was then raising funds for Bush’s father’s campaign for the Republican presidential nomination, Bush was able to attract numerous prominent investors. The company struggled through the early 1980s until the eventual collapse of oil prices in 1986, when it was purchased by the Harken Energy Corporation. Bush received Harken stock, a job as a consultant to the company, and a seat on the company’s board of directors.</p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">In the same year, shortly after his 40th birthday, Bush gave up drinking alcohol. “I realized,” he later explained, “that alcohol was beginning to crowd out my energies and could crowd, eventually, my affections for other people.” His decision was partly the result of a self-described spiritual awakening and a strengthening of his Christian faith that had begun the previous year, after a conversation with the Rev. <span id="ref784494"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Billy-Graham" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Billy Graham</a>, a Bush family friend.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/us-presidents-and-their-years-in-office-quiz" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/44/164744-131-7A6008A3/Richard-M-Nixon-campaign-stop-crowd-gesture-1968.jpg" alt="Richard M. Nixon. Richard Nixon during a 1968 campaign stop. President Nixon" class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-green">Britannica Quiz</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">U.S. Presidents and Their Years in Office Quiz</div> </div> </a><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD5 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD6 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="220101" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/64/182164-050-D2C3445B/George-W-Bush-HW-White-House-South-1992.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/86112/220101"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/64/182164-050-D2C3445B/George-W-Bush-HW-White-House-South-1992.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/64/182164-050-D2C3445B/George-W-Bush-HW-White-House-South-1992.jpg?w=300" alt="George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush, 1992" data-width="1317" data-height="1600" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/64/182164-050-D2C3445B/George-W-Bush-HW-White-House-South-1992.jpg" data-href="/media/1/86112/220101">George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush, 1992</a><span>George W. Bush (left) and his father, George H.W. Bush, walking on the South Lawn at the White House, 1992.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">After the sale of his company, Bush spent 18 months in Washington, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Washington-DC" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">D.C.</a>, working as an adviser and speechwriter in his father’s presidential campaign. Following the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/United-States-presidential-election-of-1988" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">election in 1988</a>, he moved to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Dallas" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Dallas</a>, where he and a former business partner organized a group of investors to purchase the <span id="ref784495"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Texas-Rangers-American-baseball-team" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Texas Rangers</a> professional <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/baseball" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">baseball</a> team. Although Bush’s investment, which he made with a loan he obtained by using his Harken stock as <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="collateral" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collateral" data-type="MW">collateral</a>, was relatively small, his role as managing partner of the team brought him much exposure in the media and earned him a reputation as a successful businessman. When Bush’s partnership sold the team in 1998, Bush received nearly $15 million.</p><span class="marker MOD6 mod-inline"></span> </section> <span class="marker h3"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref384545"> <h2 class="h1">At a glance: the Bush presidency</h2> <div class="mb-20"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="312283" data-asm-type="infogram"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="infogram"><script id="infogram_0__/DcRjDHDJJrRV7KniHKnQ" src="https://e.infogram.com/js/dist/embed.js?Itp" type="text/javascript" title="Presidency of George W. Bush"></script></div></figure></div></div> </section> <span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article></div> </div></div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":4,"pageId":86112,"pageLength":751,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.130.38"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.130.38' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"A","adLeg":"A","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"BIO_PAGINATED","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":true} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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George W. Bush | Biography, Presidency, & Facts | Britannica