Question

Who was the world’s first female to be elected as the prime minister of a country?

• A. Golda Meir
• B. Margaret Thatcher
• C. Indira Gandhi
• D. Benazir Bhutto
• E. Sirimavo Bandaranaike

Hint:

Sirimavo Bandaranaike was elected in 1960 as the world's first female prime minister.

Answer 1

Answer: (E)

The question asks about the world's first female to be elected as the Prime Minister of a country. The correct answer is Sirimavo Bandaranaike. Let's understand why this is correct by examining the relevant historical context:

• Sirimavo Bandaranaike became the world's first female Prime Minister when she was elected in Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) in 1960.
• She was the leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and took office on July 21, 1960, after her party won the general elections.
• Her election marked a significant milestone in global politics as it was the first time a woman held the highest political office in a country.

Let's review the other options to understand why they are not correct:

• Golda Meir: She served as the Prime Minister of Israel from 1969 to 1974, making her one of the earlier female Prime Ministers, but not the first.
• Margaret Thatcher: Known as the "Iron Lady," she was the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, serving from 1979 to 1990. She was the first woman to hold that office in the UK, but not globally.
• Indira Gandhi: She served as the Prime Minister of India from 1966 to 1977 and again from 1980 to 1984. She was the first and only female Prime Minister of India to date, but not the first in the world.
• Benazir Bhutto: She was elected as Prime Minister of Pakistan in 1988, becoming the first woman to head a democratic government in a majority Muslim nation. Though notable, she was not the first female Prime Minister worldwide.

Thus, the correct answer is Sirimavo Bandaranaike, whose election as Prime Minister in 1960 predates the others.

Answer 2

Step 1: Understand the question.
The question asks about the first female to be elected as a prime minister of a country.
Step 2: Examine each option.
- Option A: Golda Meir was the first female prime minister of Israel but not the first female worldwide. - Option B: Margaret Thatcher was the first female prime minister of the UK, but not the first female worldwide. - Option C: Indira Gandhi was India's first female prime minister but not the first worldwide. - Option D: Benazir Bhutto was Pakistan's first female prime minister but not the first worldwide. - Option E: Correct. Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka was the first female prime minister globally.
Step 3: Conclude.
The correct answer is Sirimavo Bandaranaike.
Final Answer: \[ \boxed{\text{E}} \]