John Major

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/john-major

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was John Major born?March 29, 1943
2. Where was John Major born?London, England
3. Who was John Major and when did he become Prime Minister of the UK?John Major became Prime Minister in 1990 after Margaret Thatcher stepped down. He was the first leader from the Conservative Party who had not attended a top university. He was known as a "man of the people" because he left school before 16 and worked as an insurance clerk.
4. What change did John Major make to the UK tax system?He replaced the unpopular Community Charge, also known as the Poll Tax, with the Council Tax. This change helped reduce public resentment and made local taxes fairer.

European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM): A system designed to keep the currencies of European countries within a narrow band of fluctuation against each other.
Euroscepticism: Doubt or opposition towards the European Union and its integration policies.
Order of the Companions of Honour: A British award given for significant achievements in arts, literature, music, science, politics, and sport.
Order of the Garter: The oldest and most senior order of chivalry in the United Kingdom, awarded for distinguished service.