Background
Reza *Khan, a military officer, declared himself *Shah in 1921. He immediately decided to modernize the country. He wanted to develop a national railroad system, improve healthcare, and create a national public education system. Four years later, the Qajar dynasty's last ruler, Ahmad Shah, is overthrown. Reza Khan is voted by an assembly as the new Shah of Persia.
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In 1926, the beginning of the Pahlavi dynasty is started as Reza Khan is crowned. His oldest son, Mohammed Reza, is crowned prince. Nine years later, Persia is renamed Iran. Iran is declared a neutral power by Reza Khan during World War II. Reza Khan is forced off of the throne and his son Mohammad Reza succeeded him. In 1951, Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadeq was opposed by the Shah who tried to overthrow him. He regained power, and the Shah fled Iran.
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When General Fazlollah successfully overthrows Mossadeq, the Shah returned to Iran in 1953. Four years later, the *SAVAK was set up by Iran with the help of the US and Israeli officers. In 1963, the Shah started "an aggressive campaign of social and economic Westernization" (PBS News). This campaign was known as the White Revolution.
*"We had free education and limited freedom of speech. The only thing was we could not criticize the shah. The shah tried to modernize the country. The ladies had the freedom to choose their jobs." |
The White Revolution was a government program that consisted of land reform, voting rights for women, etc. Although many Iranians applauded this program, many Islamic leaders disliked it and called for the overthrowing of the Shah. Khomeini was exiled a year later. In 1967, an "imperial" calendar replaced the Islamic one due to the Shah. It was viewed as Anti-Islamic. Religious dissatisfaction grew and the SAVAK was used to stop rebellions. The middle class and the poor believed the White Revolution only helped the rich.
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In 1978, Iranians began to riot and strike against the rules. The Shah enforced *martial law. On September 8th, the SAVAk killed hundreds and wounded thousands during a shooting of a group of demonstrators. In Tehran, thousands rioted and destroyed Westernization symbols two months later. On December 11, the Shah's security officers were attacked by a group of soldiers when Khomeini called for the overthrow of the Shah. The Shah fled Iran a month later. On February 1, 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini, an Islamic nationalist, encouraged "the brewing revolution" (PBS News). Iran is declared a *theocratic republic through Ayatollah Khomeini's guidance two months later. It became known as the Islamic Republic of Iran. On July 1980, the Shah died in Egypt.
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*Khan - a title given to rulers and officials.
*Shah - a monarch title in Iran
*SAVAK - The secret intelligence organization of Iran
*Martial Law - the suspension of ordinary law
*Theocratic Republic - a system of government in which priests rule in the name of God or a god
Definitions Courtesy of Oxford Dictionary