President Bush was especially interested
in foreign policy. In December 1989 he
ordered a military invasion of Panama to
topple that country’s dictator, Manuel
Noriega.
In August 1990 the Middle Eastern
country of Iraq invaded Kuwait. Bush
formed an international alliance and
sent U.S. military forces to Saudi Arabia
to convince Iraq to leave Kuwait. When
Iraq refused, Bush ordered an air attack.
The Persian GulfWar, which lasted
from mid-January to late February
1991, ended with the freeing of Kuwait.
The U.S. victory made Bush very popular.
Bush’s popularity soon fell, however, as
the U.S. economy suffered. In addition,
Bush broke his promise not to increase
taxes. In 1992 Bush lost the presidential
election to Bill Clinton. Bush retired to
Houston, Texas.
Political Heirs
Bush and his wife had four sons and two
daughters. His first son, GeorgeW.
Bush, served as governor of Texas before
being elected president in 2000.
Another son, Jeb Bush, became governor
of Florida in 1998.
#More to explore
Bush, GeorgeW. • Carter, Jimmy
• Clinton, Bill • Persian GulfWar
• Reagan, Ronald • United States
Bush, GeorgeW.
The son of former president George
Bush, GeorgeW. Bush became the 43rd
president of the United States in 2001.
A Republican, Bush won the office in
one of the closest presidential elections
in U.S. history. In 2004 voters elected
Bush to a second term.
Early Life and Career
GeorgeWalker Bush was born on July 6,
1946, in New Haven, Connecticut. The
eldest son of George and Barbara Bush,
he grew up in Midland and Houston,
Texas. In 1968 he graduated from Yale
George Bush
was the first
person since
1836 to be
elected president
while
serving as vice
president.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Bush, George W. 155
University with a degree in history. He
then served as a pilot in the Texas Air
National Guard. In 1973 he began
studying at Harvard University. He
graduated in 1975 with a master’s
degree in business.
Bush returned to Midland and started
an oil business. In 1977 he married
LauraWelch. The couple had twin
daughters. In 1978 Bush ran for a seat
in the U.S. House of Representatives but
lost. He worked as an adviser and
speechwriter on his father’s campaign
during the 1988 presidential election.
Bush then joined a group that bought
the Texas Rangers baseball team.
Governor
In 1994 Bush ran for governor of Texas
and won. He reformed Texas’ welfare
system and fought crime. He also cut
taxes and increased spending for schools.
Bush was reelected in 1998 with a
record 69 percent of the vote.
Election of 2000
In 2000 Bush ran for president with
Richard Cheney as his vice presidential
running mate. His opponent was Al
Gore, vice president under President Bill
Clinton.
July 6, September 11, March 20,
1946 1994 2000 2001 October 2001 2003 2004
Bush is born in
New Haven,
Connecticut.
Bush is elected
governor of
Texas.
Bush defeats
Al Gore in the
presidential
election.
Terrorists crash
airplanes into
the World
Trade Center
and the
Pentagon.
The United
States attacks
the Taliban
rulers in
Afghanistan.
U.S. and allied
forces invade
Iraq.
Bush defeats
John Kerry to
gain a second
term as
president.
T I M E L I N E
George W. Bush was the 43rd president of
the United States.
156 Bush, George W. BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
In the election more people voted for
Gore than for Bush. But in a presidential
election a candidate must win the
votes of a group of people known as the
electoral college. That contest was very
close. The outcome depended on
Florida, as both candidates needed its
electoral votes to win. The vote in
Florida was also very close, and for several
weeks Florida recounted its votes.
Eventually the U.S. Supreme Court
stopped the recounts. That decision
made Bush the winner in Florida and
the next president. Bush took office on
January 20, 2001.
Presidency
Bush had the advantage of working with
a Republican-led Congress. Soon after
his election he signed a major tax cut
into law.
Bush faced his greatest challenge on
September 11, 2001. Thousands died
after terrorists flew hijacked airplanes
into theWorld Trade Center in New
York City and the Pentagon inWashington,
D.C. Bush called for a global war
on terrorism. He identified Osama bin
Laden, the leader of a group called
al-Qaeda, as the main suspect in the
attacks. Bush ordered air attacks against
the government of Afghanistan, which
he accused of helping bin Laden. The
government fell by the end of the year.
In 2002 Bush turned his attention to
Iraq. Bush accused Iraq’s president, Saddam
Hussein, of supporting al-Qaeda
and of having banned weapons. In
March 2003 a U.S.-led force invaded
Iraq.Within a few months the force
overthrew Iraq’s government, and in
December Saddam was captured. U.S.-
led troops remained in Iraq to help the
country form a new government. However,
fighting continued.
Many people protested the war, as well
as the poor U.S. economy. Nevertheless,
in 2004 Bush was elected to a second
term. He defeated Democrat John
Kerry.
During his second term Bush appointed
two people to the Supreme Court. But
he continued to face problems related to
the ongoing war and the economy.
These issues made Bush and other
