Golda Meir was the fourth Prime Minister of Israel, serving from 1969 to 1974. She was the first woman to hold the position and is widely regarded as a major figure in the history of the state of Israel. Meir was born in Kiev, Ukraine, and immigrated to the United States in 1906. She moved to Palestine in 1921 and became active in the labor movement, eventually becoming a leader in the Mapai party. In 1948, she was appointed Israel's first ambassador to the Soviet Union, and in 1956 she was appointed Foreign Minister. After serving as Prime Minister, she retired from politics in 1974.