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The Iron Lady Trivia Quiz

This quiz is about Britain's first woman Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. It was the Soviet news agency, Tass, that dubbed her the 'Iron Lady.' They did so in 1976 when she was Leader of the Opposition.

A multiple-choice quiz by kittyconner. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
kittyconner

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
93,966

Updated
Dec 22 23

# Qns
20

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
12 / 20

Plays
1406

Last 3 plays: Guest 152 (7/20), Guest 148 (15/20), Guest 136 (12/20).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 20

1. When did Margaret Thatcher first become the Prime Minister? Hint

1981

1978

1979

1980

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Question 2 of 20

2. Whenever Mrs Thatcher was asked, "How does it feel to be a woman Prime Minister?," she would answer, "I don't know, I've never ---?" Hint

"... experienced the alternative"

"... answered silly questions"

"... questioned the fact"

"... thought about it"

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Question 3 of 20

3. When she was about to enter no. 10 for the first time, whose words did she quote? Hint

William Blake

John Milton

St Francis of Assisi

Mother Theresa

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Question 4 of 20

4. In March 1985, Mrs Thatcher went to Moscow to attend whose funeral? Hint

Yuri Andropov

Konstantin Chernenko

Leonid Brezhnev

Nikita Kruschev

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Question 5 of 20

5. At the 1980 Conservative conference, Mrs Thatcher made her famous speech containing the phrase, "This Lady's not for ----?" Hint

"retiring"

"turning"

"leaving"

"Europe"

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Question 6 of 20

6. In April 1982, Britain went to war following Argentina's invasion of the Falklands. How long did the war last? Hint

21 weeks

11 weeks

11 months

21 months

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Question 7 of 20

7. Now time out for a historic question: When was the first recorded landing on the Falklands? Hint

1790

1890

1590

1690

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Question 8 of 20

8. In 1985, Mrs Thatcher signed the Anglo-Irish Agreement, but with which Irish Premier? Hint

Garrett Fitzgerald

Albert Reynolds

Bertie Ahern

John Bruton

9. When Mrs Thatcher went to Berlin she made a speech saying, "You may chain a man, but you cannot chain his mind. You may enslave him, but you cannot conquer his spirit." This was aimed at the presence of the Berlin Wall. When did the wall eventually come down? Hint

1991

1988

1989

1990

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Question 10 of 20

10. Of which political leader did she say "I like Mr ... We can do business together"? Hint

Mikhail Gorbachev

George Bush

Ronald Reagan

Boris Yeltsin

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Question 11 of 20

11. What strike proved to be one of the most divisive of her prime minstership? Hint

power workers strike

nurses strike

miners strike

dockers strike

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Question 12 of 20

12. Most of the government were targeted by the Brighton bomb, but where was the bomb placed? Hint

In the conference hall

In a dustbin

In the PM's car

In the hotel

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Question 13 of 20

13. Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan shared a special relationship, but after what event did the President say that the next time he visited her, he would "throw his hat through the door first"? Hint

the arrival of Cruise missiles at Greenham

the US invasion of Grenada

the lack of US support during the Falklands war

he had forgotten her birthday

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Question 14 of 20

14. During her time as Prime Minister, Mrs Thatcher was often accused of using which accessory as a 'weapon'? Hint

an umbrella

a handbag

a briefcase

a shoe

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Question 15 of 20

15. Who was Leader of the Opposition for most of Mrs Thatcher's time as Prime Minister? Hint

John Smith

Tony Blair

Michael Foot

Neil Kinnock

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Question 16 of 20

16. The introduction of what new form of taxation caused widespread riots and demonstrations? Hint

congestion charge

value added tax

the community charge

council tax

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Question 17 of 20

17. In 1990, did Mrs Thatcher describe Mikail Gorbachev as "escaping from the communist mind-set"?

Yes

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Question 18 of 20

18. What short and happy statement from Mrs Thatcher caused derisive newspaper headlines in 1989? Hint

"we are not amused"

"we are a Grandmother"

"we are the best"

"we are the champions"

NEXT>

Question 19 of 20

19. Which Conservative leader of the House used a Cricket metaphor aimed at Mrs Thatcher in his resignation speech? Hint

Ian McGregor

John Wakeham

Geoffrey Howe

John Biffen

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Question 20 of 20

20. Mrs Thatcher resigned in 1990 in what month? Hint

November

October

December

September

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Most Recent Scores

Nov 12 2024 : Guest 152: 7/20
Nov 01 2024 : Guest 148: 15/20
Sep 24 2024 : Guest 136: 12/20

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. When did Margaret Thatcher first become the Prime Minister?

Answer: 1979

The election took place in May 1979 following the disastrous 'Winter of Discontent,' which saw the demise of James Callaghan and the Labour Government.

2. Whenever Mrs Thatcher was asked, "How does it feel to be a woman Prime Minister?," she would answer, "I don't know, I've never ---?"

Answer: "... experienced the alternative"

Mrs T believed that more nonsense was written about the 'feminine factor' than anything else during her premiership.

3. When she was about to enter no. 10 for the first time, whose words did she quote?

Answer: St Francis of Assisi

The words were, "Where there is discord, may we bring harmony. Where there is error, may we bring truth. Where there is doubt, may we bring faith. And where there is depair, may we bring hope." I will pass no comment.

4. In March 1985, Mrs Thatcher went to Moscow to attend whose funeral?

Answer: Konstantin Chernenko

After the death of Konstantin Chernenko, the new Premier of the Soviet Union was Mikail Gorbachev.

5. At the 1980 Conservative conference, Mrs Thatcher made her famous speech containing the phrase, "This Lady's not for ----?"

Answer: "turning"

Mrs Thatcher used the occasion to let both the opposition and those in her own party know that she wouldn't change her policies, which included removing power from the unions.

6. In April 1982, Britain went to war following Argentina's invasion of the Falklands. How long did the war last?

Answer: 11 weeks

When the war was over, the Prime Minister said that she never thought when she took office, she would have to order British troops into combat.

7. Now time out for a historic question: When was the first recorded landing on the Falklands?

Answer: 1690

In that year, a group of British sailors landed on the unpopulated islands and named the channel between the two islands the 'Falkland Sound.' This was named after the treasurer of the Navy, Viscount
Falkland.

8. In 1985, Mrs Thatcher signed the Anglo-Irish Agreement, but with which Irish Premier?

Answer: Garrett Fitzgerald

The agreement confirmed that any change of status in Northern Ireland would only be done with the full consent of the majority in the six counties, yet in spite of this the unionists greeted the agreement with a general strike.

Answer: 1989

This speech echoed in parts that of John F Kennedy some twenty years before, when he too visited Berlin.

10. Of which political leader did she say "I like Mr ... We can do business together"?

Answer: Mikhail Gorbachev

Mikhail Gorbachev instituted the government processes of 'Glasnost' and Perestroika,' or 'Openness' and 'Reconstruction', and Mrs Thatcher correctly saw this as suggesting the old ideology of the Cold War was beginning to thaw.

11. What strike proved to be one of the most divisive of her prime minstership?

Answer: miners strike

A large proportion of the public supported the miners, for they knew they had been boxed into a corner when the strike over the closure of the mines began. Just as miner's leader, Arthur Scargill, had predicted.

12. Most of the government were targeted by the Brighton bomb, but where was the bomb placed?

Answer: In the hotel

At a church service the next day, Mrs Thatcher said she realised that it was a day she wasn't meant to see.

Answer: the US invasion of Grenada

The British Goverment weren't consulted before the invasion took place and as Grenada was a Commonwealth country. To put it mildly, Mrs Thatcher was far from pleased.

14. During her time as Prime Minister, Mrs Thatcher was often accused of using which accessory as a 'weapon'?

Answer: a handbag

'Handbagging' was one of the favourite ways the Press described her negotiating skills, such as the time she demanded a cut in the amount Britain paid the E.U.

15. Who was Leader of the Opposition for most of Mrs Thatcher's time as Prime Minister?

Answer: Neil Kinnock

Neil Kinnock lost general elections to Mrs Thatcher in 1987 and John Major in 1992, resigning after the second of these. He later became Vice-President of the European Commission.

16. The introduction of what new form of taxation caused widespread riots and demonstrations?

Answer: the community charge

This tax was commonly called the Poll Tax, and was seen as both unworkable and unfair. For the first time, Mrs T was forced to do a 'U' turn.

17. In 1990, did Mrs Thatcher describe Mikail Gorbachev as "escaping from the communist mind-set"?

Answer: No

It was in fact Boris Yeltsin that she described in this way. She believed he had thought through the problems of reconstruction more clearly than President Gorbachev.

18. What short and happy statement from Mrs Thatcher caused derisive newspaper headlines in 1989?

Answer: "we are a Grandmother"

By using the Royal "We" instead of just saying "I have become a Grandmother," it was thought she was equating her position as Prime Minister with that of the Monarch.

19. Which Conservative leader of the House used a Cricket metaphor aimed at Mrs Thatcher in his resignation speech?

Answer: Geoffrey Howe

He is beleived to have resigned over a difference of opinion with Mrs Thatcher on the single currency issue, which he described as, "It's like a batsman going to the crease ready to face the bowler, only to find the captain has broken all the bats."

20. Mrs Thatcher resigned in 1990 in what month?

Answer: November

Mrs Thatcher retired from the Commons in 1992, and sat in the House of Lords as Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven. She died in 2013, and was honoured with a ceremonial funeral with full military honours at St Paul's Cathedral, London, attended by the Queen and Prince Philip.

Source: Author kittyconner

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Lanni before going online.
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