Winston Churchill

Background

Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill was born in an aristocratic family on November 30, 1874. His father, Lord Randolph Churchill, was a well-known politician, and his mother, Lady Randolph Churchill, was the daughter of an American tycoon. While growing up, Churchill did not bond with his parents since they were always busy and traveling. Several nannies, including Elizabeth Ann Everest, Churchill’s favorite, raised him. Churchill was a rebellious child who detested formal education, partly due to his parents’ absence in his childhood. In 1888, Churchill went to a boarding school called Harrow School where he developed a love for the English language.

After leaving Harrow, he enrolled at the Royal Military College Sandhurst. Churchill graduated one year later and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 4th Queen’s Own Hussars regiment of the British Army. Churchill went to Cuba as a wartime correspondent during the Cuban War of Independence. He then returned to England after learning that his favorite nanny was dying. In 1896, Churchill was transferred to British India, where he worked as a journalist and soldier. One year later, Churchill fought against a Pashtun tribe in Malakand under the leadership of General Jeffery. In 1898, Churchill went to serve in Sudan and fought in the “Battle of Omdurman.” One year later, he resigned from the British Army.

Churchill ventured into politics in 1900 and became a Member of Parliament for Oldham. He soon established himself as a successful politician, eventually becoming the Prime Minister of the U.K.