Margaret Hilda Thatcher was Britain's first female prime minister and served three terms in office. She is one of the greatest political figures of 20th century Britain.
Margaret Hilda Roberts was born on October 13, 1925 in Grantham, England She studied chemistry at Oxford University and was made chairwoman of the Oxford University Conservative Association(保守党协会). In 1951, she married a wealthy businessman, Denis Thatcher, with whom she had two children.
She often stated that she was brought up very strictly, "I owe everything in my life to two things: a good home, and a good education. My home was ordinary, but good in the sense that my parents were passionately interested in the future of my sister and myself. At the same time, they gave us a good education—not only in school, but at home as well. "
In 1970, Thatcher was appointed secretary for Education and Science. Five years later, she challenged Heath for the leadership of the Party and, to the surprise of many, won. In the 1979 general election, the Conservatives came to power and Thatcher became Prime Minister.
In foreign affairs, Thatcher had a close political and personal relationship with US president Ronald Reagan. She was nicknamed the "Iron Lady" by the Soviets. She visited China four times and made a great contribution to Hong Kong's returning to China.
Thatcher resigned as Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party in 1990. She remained in the House of Commons until 1992. In the same year, Thatcher was made a Baroness(贵族) by the queen and became a member of the House of Lords.
Reading Thatcher's whole life, it seems that she always knew what she wanted, and then she would put all her efforts into it to live her dream. She had a quick mind and an even quicker tongue. Her sense of self confidence and ambition(雄心) ruled her life from the time she was a small child, through her Oxford years and during her early years in politics.
