The 1979 Revolution & the Creation of the IRGC

Marjane Satrapi's novel Persepolis tells the story of a girl growing up during the 1979 revolution in Iran.  This revolution changed the everyday experience for thousands of Iranian people and has had a profound effect on the country's relations with the rest of the world.  Satrapi's depiction of the revolution gives us a very personal perspective on the events that occurred, but to more fully understand how the revolution affected the country and the rest of the world, we need to dig a little deeper into the larger historical and cultural context.

This Webquest will take you through the major timeline of the 1979 revolution and examine the development of the Islamic Republic and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, one of the most powerful organizations to emerge in Iran after the revolution. 

As you and your partner visit each Web site and read the information, please complete the worksheet together.  One of you will be the researcher, and one of you will be the reporter.  The researcher is responsible for navigating the Web sites and the Webquest.  The reporter is responsible for writing down the answers in the worksheet.  Switch roles halfway through the quest.  You are both responsible for keeping track of time on each task.

A few notes to help you as you search ––

• • A link to the next section of the Webquest is included at the bottom of each page.  Make sure you scroll all the way down!

  • The spelling of certain names or places may be different on different Web pages.  If you have any questions about whether two words are the same, ask your teacher.

  • You don't have to read every word on every Web page.  You can skim through the text to find the important words, but be sure you fully understand the concept or event that is being discussed.

  • Use the Web pages provided in this Webquest.  These pages have been selected for their credible sources and lack of biased misinformation.  Don't use Wikipedia or Google-search for answers.   If you can't find the information you need, ask your teacher. 

  • If you get lost in the Webquest, click "Sitemap" on the left side of the page, which will show you all pages of the Webquest.  Click on the page you were working through to find your way.

Your worksheet is due at the end of the class period.  Good luck and good searching!