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United Kingdom

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  1. United Kingdom Main Page
  3. The Church of England Is Established and Parliament Reigns Supreme
  4. England's Empire Grows While the American Colonies Revolt
  5. Democratic Government Emerges
  6. Britain Enters WWII
  8. Tony Blair and the Labor Party End Conservative Rule
  10. Terror Strikes at Home
  11. Gordon Brown Succeeds Blair
  12. A Historic Changing of the Guard
  13. Royal Wedding Precedes Media Scandal
  14. London Sets New Olympic Record
  15. Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passes and Receives Royal Approval
  16. The Duchess of Cambridge Gives Birth to a Baby Boy
  17. Parliament Rejects Cameron's Plan to Strike Syria
Britain Enters European Community and Margaret Thatcher Becomes First Female Prime Minister

In 1951, Churchill again became prime minister at the head of a Conservative government. George VI died on Feb. 6, 1952, and was succeeded by his daughter, Elizabeth II. Churchill stepped down in 1955 in favor of Sir Anthony Eden, who resigned on grounds of ill health in 1957 and was succeeded by Harold Macmillan and Sir Alec Douglas-Home. In 1964, Harold Wilson led the Labour Party to victory. A lagging economy brought the Conservatives back to power in 1970. Prime Minister Edward Heath won Britain's admission to the European Community. Margaret Thatcher became Britain's first woman prime minister as the Conservatives won 339 seats on May 3, 1979.

An Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands on April 2, 1982, involved Britain in a war 8,000 mi from the home islands. Argentina had long claimed the Falklands, known as the Malvinas in Spanish, which had been occupied by the British since 1832. Britain won a decisive victory within six weeks when more than 11,000 Argentine troops on the Falklands surrendered on June 14, 1982.

Although there were continuing economic problems and foreign policy disputes, an upswing in the economy in 1986–1987 led Thatcher to call elections in June, and she won a near-unprecedented third consecutive term. The unpopularity of Thatcher's poll tax together with an uncompromising position toward further European integration eroded support within her own party. When John Major won the Conservative Party leadership in November, Thatcher resigned, paving the way for Major to form a government.

Next: Tony Blair and the Labor Party End Conservative Rule

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