When did you first become truly aware about politics?

I started taking an interest in politics around 2003/2004, when I was 13/14 years old. It was a gradual process. That was when I started following the news. But my opinions were mostly just whatever I heard from my relatives. It wasn't until 2005 when I was 15 that I started really forming my own views when I decided I disagreed with some of the things I had previously agreed with. The Iraq War was the first main thing this happened with; previously I thought it was good because everyone in my family thought it was good, but after following it for a while and being exposed to a wider range of views I gradually came to the opposite conclusion, that the war was a mistake, a disaster and unjustified. Later still I dropped the idea that it was a mistake and started considering it an atrocity and a crime. The word "mistake" implies some kind of innocent but well-intentioned blundering. It was anything but. To this day I believe the whole Bush administration should be prosecuted Nuremberg-style for that crime.

My Mom was a big Democrat when I was just a little runt back in the early 60s. Also, we had Time magazine in the house for at least a decade or two. I remember when she had a button for Hubert Humphrey and Eugene McCarthy for Prez. So I've been steeped in politics as long as I can remember. I'm sorry that I'm a Dem when I say this current presidency is complete and utter Lunacy. Completely off the rails. Since I'm a Dem someone will accuse me of being biased toward my political affiliation, but I'm registered Independent on principle and am forced to always side with anything that isn't Republican. I hope many Republicans agree this isn't what they signed up for.

I was 11 when Nixon resigned and that was the first time I paid attention to anything political.

Probably age 8 or 9
Ronald Reagan was the first President I was aware of.
I greatly admired him, he was quite the schmoozer, strategist and charmer!
He could also look a man in the eye and put him right in his place

Best President in my lifetime and one of the best ever

During Iran Contra I remember following the story a little bit. I was really angry that Reagan and his crowd pretty much got away with it, and then Bush was elected President. Very disappointing.

Seriously, even as a 7-year old I was aware of all the Cold War propaganda. They even forced us kids to be political.

In elementary school there was a civics class. Mostly we studied about presidents, and government. It was okay, but sort of boring for a 10 year old.

1972 - Watergate scandal