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Margaret Thatcher, Britain's first woman Prime Minister

Study note

Margaret Thatcher was the daughter of a grocer from Grantham. After the Conservative Party won the general election in 1979, she became the first woman Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, a key fact about her. She went on to become the longest-serving Prime Minister of the 20th century, staying in office until 1990, so her years in power are 1979 to 1990.

Her government is remembered for two main policies in particular. It privatised many of the industries that earlier governments had nationalised, returning them to private ownership, and it placed new legal controls on the power of the trade unions. So those are the two policies to pick. Be careful: the National Health Service was founded back in 1948 under Attlee, long before Thatcher, so any claim that her government founded the NHS is untrue.

Memory tip: Thatcher: first woman PM (1979 to 1990); privatisation and curbs on trade unions.

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Question 1 of 6

Who was the UK's first woman Prime Minister?

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Show all questions and answers for Margaret Thatcher, Britain's first woman Prime Minister(6 questions with explanations)

Margaret Thatcher, Britain's first woman Prime Minister: questions, answers and explanations

  1. 1. Who was the UK's first woman Prime Minister?

    • Margaret Thatcher
    • Theresa May
    • Florence Nightingale
    • Emmeline Pankhurst

    Correct answer: Margaret Thatcher

    Margaret Thatcher became the UK's first woman Prime Minister in 1979.

  2. 2. During which years was Margaret Thatcher Prime Minister?

    • 1945 to 1951
    • 1979 to 1990
    • 1951 to 1964
    • 1997 to 2007

    Correct answer: 1979 to 1990

    Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990.

  3. 3. Select TWO policies associated with Margaret Thatcher's government.

    • Founding the NHS
    • Granting Irish independence
    • Privatising nationalised industries
    • Legal controls on trade union powers

    Correct answer: Privatising nationalised industries and Legal controls on trade union powers

    Her government privatised industries and placed legal controls on trade union powers.

  4. 4. What was the surname of Margaret, Britain's first woman Prime Minister, who took office in 1979?

    • Thatcher
    • Pankhurst
    • Nightingale
    • Beveridge

    Correct answer: Thatcher

    Margaret Thatcher was Britain's first woman Prime Minister.

  5. 5. Which of these statements is correct?

    • Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister from 1997 to 2007
    • Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990

    Correct answer: Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990

    Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990.

  6. 6. Which statement about Margaret Thatcher's government is NOT true?

    • It privatised nationalised industries
    • It placed legal controls on the power of trade unions
    • It founded the National Health Service

    Correct answer: It founded the National Health Service

    The NHS was founded in 1948 under Attlee's government, long before Thatcher.

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