Anna Vagner

Global – 04

Period – 09

Homework #41

P. 961 - Document-Based Essay

Question

The Iranian revolution of 1979 was led by Ayatollah Khomeini,

but he did not fight alone. Khomeini was supported by a huge segment

of Iran’s population. Could the revolution have been successful without

the people’s support? Using the documents and information from the

chapter, form a thesis about the role of the Iranian people in the

revolution. Then write a short essay to support your position.

Many revolutions have taken place in order to gain power and

independence. Before the Revolution of 1979, Iran was ruled by

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who worked to modernize and westernize

the country. As a part of his effort to change Iran the shah wanted

closer ties with the United States. During the Iranian Revolution, Iran

became an Islamic republic with Khomeini as its leader.

The people of Iran wanted to strengthen bonds with the United

States. As stated in Document 1, Mohammad Pahlavi strived for his

goal and expressed his desire in a toast delivered to U.S. president

Richard Nixon at a state dinner in 1972. He stated that it would help

strengthen world peace, coexistence, and cooperation. He said that

they would not tolerate any inequality from any quarter their relations

with other countries. He said that their land was also not to be

violated. In Document 2, a picture is shown of Ayatollah Khomeini, a

Muslim leader who had been exiled from Iran for making derogatory

comments against both the shah and the United States. Images of him

can’t still be seen all over Iran.

In return, the U.S. also had a view of the Iranian revolution.

Document 4 tells of a passage from the Air University Review by Lewis

Ware. He states that the Shah was the great modernizer of Iran. To

further his goals he chose and autocratic model of nation-building

bequeathed to him by his father, Reza Shah. A need for independence

informed Muhammad Reza Pahlavi’s vision of Iranian grandeur from

which he never wavered and to which he applied the limitless

resources of absolute monarchy. Document 3 gives a speech in which

Ayatollah Khomeini addressed the people of Iran about events that

inspired the revolution, like the infatuated anger in the West and the

champions who brought power to the people.

Throughout these revolutions we are acknowledged that the point

of the revolts are to overthrow leaders, good or bad, in order to start a

new empire and spread power. In this case, the Iranian revolution of

1979 was used to overthrow the leader and to get Khomeini into
power. This was chosen by the people because it would westernize and

modernize Iran.