We have chosen to study this particular woman since she  totally reflects the image of England for her strength to run this country.

Secondly, because she has a strange and interesting surname "La Dame de Fer" in English: "The Iron Lady".

Thirdly, she was the most important and exceptional woman on 50 Downing street because she tried to launch the economic market again and to decrease the unemployment. During the Falklands’ war, Thatcher reacted against the Argentineans’ invasion on 2nd April 1982.

Finally, the best reason is because she was the first woman to be Prime Minister in England. But her prosperity is unfortunately as known as the feeling English people have for her. In fact,  at the moment, 90% of the English population quite hate Margaret Thatcher because of her attitude in social conflicts such as the minors’ strike in 1984. Indeed,  she didn’t give any agreement to these men. That’s why we have chosen this very popular woman: for her determination, and of course because she was the very first female to have power in such an important country as Great Britain. She was the symbol of the beginning of antifeminist’ fight. All these qualities made her known all over the world as "The Iron Lady".

M a r g a r e t     t h a t c h er….

Biography

Margaret Hilda Robert was born on October 13, 1925. She was the daughter of a grocer. She was educated at Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ High School and won a bursary to Somerville College, Oxford.

At college, she managed to succeed in two subjects: she took two degrees: in chemistry and law. In 1991, Margaret married Sir Denis Thatcher who served in the Second World War as a major in the Royal Artillery. He was a former director of Bumah Castrol and a director of other companies. He was made a baronet in December 1990.

They had twins: Mark and Carol, who were born August 15^th, 1953. After she was elected leader of the Conservative Party in 1975, she was elected Britain’s first female Prime Minister

Political acts…

Margaret Thatcher began her political career with her entrance into Parliament in 1959, while she was 34 years old and when she argued for her way into one of the best Tory seats in the country: Finchley in the north London. Her quick mind led her through the Tory ranks as she was 44 years old, she got settled into the "Statutory woman’s" place in the Cabinet as Education’s Minister. This place in English politic system might have been the best one and of course the most important one in all her career. But Thatcher was and is still notoriously lucky. In fact, in 1975, she challenged to Edward Health for the Tory leadership simply because the candidate of the right wing’s party abandoned the contest at the last minute. Margaret Thatcher is also known for her election at the Prime Minister seat, in 1979. But she became a world figure for more than just her politics. It attracted universal attention, especially after she led Britain to a spectacular military victory over Argentina: the "Falklands’ War" in 1982. In fact, she reacted against the invasion of Argentineans on April 2^nd in 1982, and she sent the day after marine squad aboard "The Camberra" and the "Queen Elisabeth" in order to land on these coasts. Then on May 21^st, English troops were in San Carlos; the reconquest lasted 3 weeks. People from all over the world began to look at her methods, trying to imitate them. One of her earliest admirers was the President of U.S.A. Ronald Reagan, who arrived at the power 18 months after her. They pushed Gorbachev to undermine the self-confidence of the Soviet elite.

Social acts…

The minor’s strike lasted one year, from March 1984 to March 1985. It took place to react against a new law, which restricted the possibilities to strike. That was the minor’s union, led by Arthur Scargill who took the responsibility to lead the fight. However, Margaret Thatcher put all the chances on her side: coal’s reserves were accumulated for the electric central’s supplying. She refused any negotiation: Scargill knew a crushed defeat. Finally, everyone went back to work on the fifth of March 1985 without any union’s concession. Margaret Thatcher combined a flamboyant willpower with femininity. It attracted lot of attention, also after the victory over Argentina in 1982. Still, she could not bear to lose men, ships or planes. "That’s why we have extraships and planes "; he admirals had to tell her, " to make good the losses ". Fidelity, like courage, loyalty and perseverance, were cardinal virtues to her, which she possessed, in the highest degree.

Quiz

QHave you ever heard about the 1994 minor's strike  that Margaret Thatcher stopped?

Do you think that the actions she's done were justified or not?

Has she ever been married with someone? Who?

Do you think that English people agreed with her in her decisions?

Did she participate in :

a) War in Kosovo

b) War in Falklands’ Islands

c) Gulf War

What was her political statute :

a) Communist

b) Conservative

c) Nationalist

In which year was she elected prime minister :

a) 1979

b) 1984

c) 1957

Julien,  François-Xavier and Pierre, Seconde B, 2000-2001