I. Iranian Demographics and Background Terms to Consider: Theocracy Sunni Islam Modernization Theocratic republic Farsi Traditional values Nomadic pastoralism Turkic Twelver Shi’ism Central Asia Azeri Twelfth Imam Caspian Sea Baha’i Ayatollah Persia Zoroastrianism Cleric Shi’a Islam (Shiite) Developing nation Guiding Questions: 1. How does Shi’ism differ from Sunni Islam? How do these beliefs influence the government structure of Iran? 2. What accounts for Iran’s rather unusual population pyramid? How do the age demographics of Iran compare against other countries within our case studies? II. Iranian Political History Terms to Consider: Achaemenid Empire Reza Shah Secularization Cyrus the Great Shah-in-shah Revolution Hellenism Muhammad Reza Shah Pahlavi Foundation Alexander the Great SAVAK Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini Islam Cold War Revolution of rising expectations Umayyad Caliphate Oil production 1979 Abbasid Caliphate National Hostage crisis Safavid Empire Muhammad Mosaddeq Prime Minister Bazargan Ottoman Empire Nationalization Iran-Iraq War Qajar Empire Tudeh Cultural Revolution Constitutional Revolution Operation Ajax Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Guardian Council CIA / MI6 Pahlavi dynasty Westernization Guiding Questions: 1. Describe the role of religion in the justification of political authority throughout Persian history. How has it changed over time? How has it stayed the same? 2. What are the historical roots for Iranian suspicion and distrust for secularization and Westernization? How has that suspicion influenced recent Iranian policy? III. Iranian Political Institutions Terms to Consider: Supreme Leader Expediency Council Jurist Guardian Council Sharia Majlis Assembly of Religious Experts Faqih Vetting
I. Iranian Demographics and Background Terms to Consider: Theocracy Theocratic republic Nomadic pastoralism Central Asia Caspian Sea Persia Shi’a Islam (Shiite) Sunni Islam Farsi Turkic Azeri Baha’i Zoroastrianism Developing nation Modernization Traditional values Twelver Shi’ism Twelfth Imam Ayatollah Cleric Guiding Questions: 1. How does Shi’ism differ from Sunni Islam? How do these beliefs influence the government structure of Iran? 2. What accounts for Iran’s rather unusual population pyramid? How do the age demographics of Iran compare against other countries within our case studies? II. Iranian Political History Terms to Consider: Achaemenid Empire Cyrus the Great Hellenism Alexander the Great Islam Umayyad Caliphate Abbasid Caliphate Safavid Empire Ottoman Empire Qajar Empire Constitutional Revolution Guardian Council Pahlavi dynasty Reza Shah Shah-in-shah Muhammad Reza Shah SAVAK Cold War Oil production National Muhammad Mosaddeq Nationalization Tudeh Operation Ajax CIA / MI6 Westernization Secularization Revolution Pahlavi Foundation Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini Revolution of rising expectations 1979 Hostage crisis Prime Minister Bazargan Iran-Iraq War Cultural Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Guiding Questions: 1. Describe the role of religion in the justification of political authority throughout Persian history. How has it changed over time? How has it stayed the same? 2. What are the historical roots for Iranian suspicion and distrust for secularization and Westernization? How has that suspicion influenced recent Iranian policy? III. Iranian Political Institutions Terms to Consider: Supreme Leader Guardian Council Assembly of Religious Experts Expediency Council Sharia Faqih Jurist Majlis Vetting
unit-seven-study-guide_iran.docx