Margaret Thatcher 1925–
First Female British Prime Minister
From the time she was a young girl, Margaret Thatcher worked extremely hard to achieve her goals. An excellent student who constantly studied, she attended Oxford, one of the world's best universities. She became interested in politics and was the first female president of the Oxford University Conservative Association.
After graduation, Thatcher became a lawyer. Her hard work and ambition led to a position in British parliament before she turned 35. Thatcher earned a reputation for learning as much as she could about an issue. Her mastery of the details often overwhelmed her critics.
Thatcher became Britain's first female Prime Minister in 1979. As a conservative, she believed that government should play a smaller role in people's lives. She passed laws that shrunk the size of government. Thatcher served as the prime minister for more than 11 years, longer than any British prime minister has served in over 150 years. She is recognized as being one of the most effective leaders in British history.
Critical Thinking
What effect did Thatcher's hard work have on her career?