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Historical Novel Project:

Persepolis

Vernon Turner

EDSE 729
Professor Cook
10-14-2015

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Book Synopsis
The novel Persepolis centered on the childhood experiences of a young girl named
Marjane Satrapi and her life in Iran. Marjane is only ten years old during the start of the Iranian
cultural revolution in 1980, however she can see all of the changes that are taking place.
Marjane is a well educated girl from a privileged family in Iran. As a child Marjane dreams of
being a prophet for her people but begins to have a crisis of faith. Both Mr. and Mrs. Satrapi
encourage their daughter to do whatever she wants to do. Both of Marjane's parents are Marxists
and were active in demonstrations during the Iranian Revolution. By the age of 12, Marjane no
longer dreams of being a prophet. Marjane's grandmother comes to visit and tells her stories of
her grandfather. Marjane learns that her grandfather was a prince but his possessions were taken
from him by the Shah. The grandmother tells more stories of how the grandfather was tortured
for being a communist and how evil the Shah was. Shortly after this, the revolution forced a
regime change and political prisoners were being released. This is when Marjane learned of her
Uncle Anoosh. Anoosh had been a prisoner for the last nine years for being a communist.
Marjane became extremely fond of her uncle the more she learned about him. He was a
communist that studied Marxism in Moscow. He was also a divorcee with two girls and one son
with another woman. Unfortunately, Anoosh was arrested for being a communist by the new
regime, which was empowered by fundamentalists. Shortly after being arrested, he was executed
on the grounds of being a Russian spy. At this point Marjane abandons her faith and feels very
lost.
Marjane's feeling of being lost is symbolic because at the same time, Iran is going
through major changes. The universities are being shutdown, the educational system is being
completely changed, and new social norms are being put into place based on the beliefs of
religious fundamentalists. During this change, Mrs. Satrapi, Marjane's mother, is told that she
should wear her veil or be "fucked and thrown out like garbage" (Satrapi, 2003, pg 74). Mrs.
Satrapi is an educated and modern woman who does not believe in wearing the veil. This event
opens Marjane's eyes to the major changes that are happening around her. Very soon after, the
Satrapi family decides to go on a vacation. When they come back from vacation, they learn that
Iran and Iraq are now at war. Fighter pilots were released from prison to help aid Iran against
Iraq. A school friend of Marjane's, Pardisse, lost his father, who was a pilot, during the first
wave of bombings. The only other time Pardisse is mentioned is when Marjane is talking about
school reports on the war and how Pardisse's was very moving and by far the best in the class.
Everything begins to change very quickly for Marjane once the war starts. All of the
universities close down, the American embassy is overtaken, women are forced to wear the veil
in public, and demonstrations are no longer ending in peace. Marjane recalls there being food
shortages and rationing in the cities. One thing that seemed to have a profound impact on
Marjane is that schools started giving poor children keys to wear around their necks. The key
was the key to heaven for when they died. This was wartime propaganda that angered Marjane
and both her parents. Due to the war, hospitals become overcrowded and acquiring a visa to
travel becomes increasingly difficult. Marjane's uncle, Taher, has a heart attack and dies before
he can get a visa to leave the country to see a doctor. Towards the end of the story, Marjane's
parents go to Turkey once the borders reopen and bring Marjane back gifts that the government
denounces as immoral. The gifts (i.e., jeans, posters, sneakers, etc.) make Marjane extremely
happy and also embolden her rebelliousness against the state. Finally, her mother and father

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decide once Iran is being bombed on a more regular basis, that Marjane should leave and study
in Austria.
Works Cited
Satrapi, M. (2004). Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood (First Edition edition). Pantheon.

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Author Biography
The story Persepolis is an autobiography of Marjane Satrapi's childhood. Her childhood
biography ends with her leaving Iran to study in Austria. After she leaves for Austria in 1983,
she stays with some family friends for a short period of time. Her family friends soon decide
that Marjane should no longer live with them and Marjane is forced to live in a convent with
nuns. At this point in her life, Marjane began to do drugs and felt alienated from her peers.
During her time in Europe, Marjane received her diploma and continued on to earn her masters
in Visual Communication. She moved back to Tehran, Iran at the age of 18. At this point Iran
was mostly non-secular, and Marjane struggled with the adjustment from the secular society she
had been educated in. Marjane went on to marry at the age of 21, however her marriage only
lasted three years before ending in divorce. Eventually Marjane moved to France where she
earned a degree in art. Life in France better suited Marjane because of freedoms she was able to
exercise in that she could not in Iran. She decided to permanently move to Paris, France, where
she would publish her book, Persepolis. She decided to write Persepolis because she did not like
the way that all Iranians were characterized. She believes that Iran is much more complex than it
is typically portrayed and wanted to attempt to convey some of its complexity with her childhood
graphic novel.
Works Cited
Marjane Satrapi | biography - Iranian artist and writer | Britannica.com. (n.d.). Retrieved October 14,
2015, from http://www.britannica.com/biography/Marjane-Satrapi

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Context & Resources

The story Persepolis takes place during the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Prior to the
revolution, Iran had been under the monarchy of the Shah, whose family had been in power for
four decades. The Shah had the support of the United States but was not beloved by the people
of Iran. In January of 1979, the Shah flees Iran and is replaced by a Shiite Muslim cleric named
Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeni who had been attempting to overthrow the Shah for years.
Khomeni turned the secular government into a theocracy (Iranian Revolution of 1978-79
Britannica.com). This led to rapid and often drastic changes in many day to day functions of the
Iranian people. This is essentially what Marjane's story is about. She focuses her story on all the
changes that take place during and after the Iranian Revolution. A major theme of the story is
oppression. During the beginning of the story, Marjane's parents are constantly going to
demonstrations to protest the Shah because of his oppression. Then after the revolution, Marjane
and her mother protest by not wearing a veil until it is mandated by law. Marjane's uncles,
grandfather, and father all at some point show willingness to disregard the law because they feel
that it is unjust. This story is doubly historical because one, it is written by someone who lived
and experienced the events which she is writing about, and two, it is written after the fact for the
purpose of changing the opinions of people outside of Iran on what actually happened inside
Iran.
In terms of what a teacher would need to know to effectively teach this book in a social
studies classroom, they would have to know something about Persian culture (NCSS 1). To
understand why the people are upset in Iran the teacher must be able to explain the cultural
significance of the Iranian Revolution. A teacher must especially have a firm understanding of
Persian culture in order to explain why Iran and Iraq go to war towards the end of the book.
There is a hatred and mistrust between the two countries that is present in the book, but is not
explained. This would be a major point that the teacher would need to explain using his/her
knowledge of the two countries culture.
Another thing that a teacher needs to be aware of when teaching this book in a social
studies classroom is how the country of Iran has changed (NCSS 2). Understanding why the
Iranian Revolution occurred and what led up to it can help in explaining to students why the
revolution followed the path that it did. Students may struggle to understand why Iran ended up
as a theocracy when the book is told from the viewpoint of a girl in a secular family. It is the job
of the teacher to explain to students the events that led up to the Iranian Revolution and how
Khomeni had major support from fundamentalist Muslims to overthrow the Shah. After the
Shah fled Iran, Khomeni was left as the next most powerful man in line to shape Iran.
A third thing that teachers need to know to effectively teach Persepolis in a social studies
class is how the power of the government changed over time (NCSS 6). From before and after
the Iranian Revolution, the government changed in its level of involvement in the average
Iranian's life. Before, the Shah was a dictator but did not occupy his time with micromanaging
the people. After the revolution, the government of Iran began to micromanage its people,
especially its women, on the grounds of religious morality. Considering most students who are
reading this story will have never lived in a country that governs its people in such a way, an
effective social studies teacher needs to be able to identify the changes in the power, authority,
and governance of Iran during Marjane's story.

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Finally, the last thing that an effective social studies teacher will need to know to teach
the book Persepolis is how the civic ideals and practices of Marjane and her family affected her
experience in Iran (NCSS 10). Marjane and her family were all Marxists and/or communists.
After the shift in government, students may wonder why Marjane's family is so upset about
somethings and not others. They may wonder why they wanted to overthrow the Shah and old
regime but were even less happy with the new government that took its place. An effective
social studies teacher needs to know at minimum what it means to be Marxist and what it means
to be communist, that way they can explain to students to view point of Marjane's family. They
also need to have a firm understanding of fundamentalist Islamic law so they can explain to
students why some laws were being enforced after the fall of the old regime.
Resources that would help a teacher teach Persepolis are:
1. Foucault and the Iranian Revolution: Gender and the Seductions of Islamism
2. The 1979 Iranian Revolution: How the Guardian covered it
3. Read Write Think: Historical Background Lesson Plan for teaching Persepolis
4. Interview with Marjane Satrapi
5. Full movie Persepolis
Works Cited
Afary, J., Anderson, K., & Foucault, M. (2005). Foucault and the Iranian Revolution: gender and the
seductions of Islamism. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Tran, M. (2009, February 3). The 1979 Iranian revolution: how the Guardian covered it. The
Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/news/blog/2009/feb/03/iranianrevolution-archive
Gaining Background for the Graphic Novel Persepolis: A WebQuest on Iran - ReadWriteThink.
(n.d.). Retrieved October 15, 2015, from http://www.readwritethink.org/classroomresources/lesson-plans/gaining-background-graphic-novel-1063.html
movieweb. (2010). Persepolis - Exclusive: Marjane Satrapi. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9onZpQix_w&feature=youtu.be
john stallings. (2015). Persepolis 2007 English. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7jqKUdvF5g

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Instructional Activities
1. Video/Socratic Seminar Activity for Geography Class (Media)
Lesson Summary
After reading the book Persepolis, students will watch a short clip of the movie Persepolis. The
clip will be played from the 28 minute mark to the 34 minute mark. This clip shows two
examples of how Iran had become extremely oppressive in the way people could dress and act.
Then the class would break into a Socratic Seminar with the opening question being, "How
would this type of government make you feel?" The conversation will be steered towards culture
and the differences and similarities in culture. This Socratic Seminar will be based around WGS
4 and NCSS thematic strand one (Culture). The focus will remain on the book but will also
encourage students to draw comparisons between different cultures that we have already
discussed. I will also push students to explain why cultures have certain laws that other cultures
do not have.
Estimated Duration
35-45 minutes
Materials Needed
YouTube Video of the Movie Persepolis
Exit Slip
Instructional Procedures
Play video clip for students. After students have watched the video, students will break into the
Socratic Seminar with the opening question, "How would this type of government make you
feel?" After all students have answered, the conversation will be steered toward something one
of the students said. If no student provides anything substantive, the follow up question will be
asked, "Can you think of examples similar to what we watched here in the United States?" From
here, conversation will be steered towards identifying the characteristics of culture, gender
expectations, ethnicity, and religious issues.
Post-Assessment
Exit Slip
1. What did you learn?
2. What would you have like to hear more about?
3. What was one distraction from today?

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Standards and NCSS Theme

Standard WG-4
Indicator WG-4.1 & 4.3
NCSS Thematic Strand 1 (Culture)
Novel Review
This activity relates to standard WG 4 because it asks students to assess how culture has changed
over a very short period of time. Students also see how men and women are treated differently
in a different culture. This activity will have students challenge their understanding, along with
their peers understanding, of culture in other places. This activity connects to NCSS Thematic
Strand 1 because it asks students to examine and evaluate a different culture. Not only are
students evaluating a different culture, they are taking notice to how quickly culture can change
in a country.
Student Prompt
Video Link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7jqKUdvF5g
Works Cited
john stallings. (2015). Persepolis 2007 English. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7jqKUdvF5g

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2. Book in A Day for World Geography Class (Primary Source One)

Lesson Summary
In order to read the entire book in one class period, I will split the class into groups. In a class of
20, students would split into pairs and each group would get two chapters for the exception of
one group. One group will get one chapter. Depending on the amount of students, modifications
can be made. Each student will be asked to read their chapters. They can split the chapters up
between the group members, or all read together. After reading each chapter the students will
write a summary of what happened in their chapter on a sticky note. After everyone has read
their chapters they will post their chapter's summary on the board. When all of the summaries
are on the board, one student from each group will read their summary until all the summaries
have been read. The hope is that students will have fun while learning about how a place can
change dramatically over a short period of time and how culture can influence that.
Estimated Duration
40-50 minutes
Materials Needed
Printed Copies of each chapter of the book
Sticky Notes
Instructional Procedures
Assign students chapters from the book Persepolis. Give each group a sticky note for each
chapter they are reading. Finally, provide a space that labels each chapter of the book for the
students to place their sticky notes on. After they are all done, call on students to read their
sticky notes in order until a summary of the book has been provided. After the activity, I will
ask the earlier groups if they are surprised on how the story ends. This will snowball into a
conversation on how a place can change quickly depending on the circumstances. We will also
discuss the impact of culture on change.
Post-Assessment
Exit Slip
1. Do you feel like you understand what the book was about?
Standards and NCSS Theme
Standard WG-4
Indicator WG-4.1, 4.2, 4.3

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Standard WG-6
Indicator WG-6.3
Standard WG-7
Indicator WG-7.1
NCSS Thematic Strand 2
Novel Review
This activity taps into standards WG-4 and WG-7 because it has students examine the culture of
group of people and to examine what happens in a culture when there is a lack of cooperation.
The reading a book in a day will have students examine the change in Iran over the revolutionary
period and examine what a society looks like that is under revolution. Students can also examine
the role of the city and how people rely on the city for certain goods. This is evedent during the
wartime scenes in Persepolis. This activity aligns with NCSS Thematic Strand 2 because
students are exposed to some of the Persian history that influences the change that happens in
Iran. This change across a short period of time is dramatic; however it is influenced by its
culture and history.
Student Prompt
You and your group will read the assigned chapters of Persepolis. After reading each chapter,
write a summary that will fit on the sticky notes provided. After you have read your chapters
thoroughly and have written a summary on the sticky note, place you summary on the designated
space.
Works Cited
Satrapi, M. (2004). Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood (First Edition edition). Pantheon

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3. Popcorn Game Review World Geography Class

Lesson Summary
This activity will help students gain a deeper understanding of the material they read. A set of
questions will be given to the students at the beginning of class. They will have five minutes to
look over all the questions then the class will split into teams. The teams will get one point for
every question they can answer in depth. The team at the end with the most points wins. The
goal of this is review and to gain a deeper understanding through class collaboration.
Estimated Duration
35 minutes
Materials Needed
List of questions for students (Based on Questions from freelibrary.org)Dry erase board and marker to keep track of points
Instructional Procedures
Students will be handed a list of questions at the beginning of class to look over. After five
minutes, the class will be split into two teams and they will quiz each other from the questions
provided until all the questions have been asked. After all questions have been asked, points will
be tallied and a victor crowned. Students will be asked if there were any questions that they
wanted clarification on.
Post-Assessment
Exit Slip
1. Were there any questions you did not understand or need help with?
Standards and NCSS Theme
Standard WG-4
Indicator WG-4.1
Novel Review
This activity enhances the student learning of standard WG-4 by having students collaborate and
delve deeper into their understanding of the culture presented in Persepolis. The popcorn review
activity is a fun way for students to engage in the learning process while also forcing them to
really think about what they read.

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Student Prompt
Read over the questions provided for the first five minutes of class. After the questions have
been reviewed, the class will be split into two teams. Each team will take turns asking the other
team questions from the list provided. Each team gets two minutes maximum to collaborate and
one point per correct answer.
Worksheet Questions
(http://libwww.freelibrary.org/onebook/obop10/Full_Teaching_Curriculum.pdf)
1 -The Veil
Why must Marjane start wearing the veil? How do she and her classmates react?
Describe Marjane's reationship with her parents and grandmother. How do they influence her and her
relationship with the changing Iranian society?
Why does Marjane want to be "the last prophet?" What would be the purpose of being "justice, love,
and the wrath of God all in one?"
2 -The Bicycle
Marjane proclaims that "the revolution is like a bicycle. When thewheels don't turn, it falls."
Why do you think God stops visiting Marjane at the end of the chapter?
3 -The Water Cell
What's the difference between what Marjane learns in school about the Shah's power and what her
father tells her?
Why was Marjane's grandfather imprisoned? What effect did this have on his family?
4 -Persepolis
What is so funny about the "martyr" scene outside the hopsital? Why doesn't Marjane get it?
5 -The Letter
Why does Mehri's admiring neighbor reject her? Do you think Marjane's father did the right thing by
ending the crush?
6 -The Party
How does people's behavior change in this chapter after the Shah steps down?
Why does Marjane's mother stop her from terrorizing Ramin? Do you think she succeeds in getting her
message across to Marjane?

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7-The Heroes
Why were the men who come to Marjane's house imprisoned and tortured?
What effect do their stories have on Marjane?
8 -Moscow
Why does Marjane idolize her uncle Anoosh so much? Do you think she is right to do so?
9 -The Sheep
In this chapter, a family escapes Iran hidden among a flock of sheep --but what does it mean when we
say people act like a herd of sheep? When do the people in this chapter do that?
Why does Anoosh request to see Marjane when he's in prison? How does Marjane react when she gets
the news of his death?
10 -The Trip
What changes do the new fundamentalist government make in Iran? How does Marjane's family react?
How does Marjane react to the announcement that Iraq has invaded Iran? How is she dressed in the last
frame of the chapter (79)?
11 -The F14s
Why do you think Marjane thinks her father is unpatriotic for saying he won't fight in the war (81)? Do
you think she is right?
In the last frame of the chapter, Pardisse says she wishes her father "were alive and in jail rather than
dead and a hero." Do you think you would feel the same way in her place?
12 -The Jewels
What effect does the war have on daily life in Tehran? How do people, including Marjane's parents, act
differently?
13 -The Key
What is the purpose of a "nupital chamber," and why are there so many of them in Tehran?
In this chapter, adults seek to influence the younger population of Iran in different ways. How do
Marjane and her schoomates defy their teachers? And what is the significance of the "golden" key given
to boys?
14 -The Wine

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Marjane's family enjoys having parties and drinking--what precautions do they take, and why do they
continue despite the danger of being found out? Why do people seek to keep their regular routines
even in dangerous times?
15 -The Cigarette
What understanding does Marjane come to about the war? Why could it have been avoided?
In the last frame, she announces that "with this first cigarette, I kissed childhood goodbye." Do you
believe her?
What does it take to go from being a child to an adult?
16 -The Passport
Why is the Iranian government so strict about letting people out of the country, even if they are gravely
ill like uncle Taher?
Why is it ironic that his passport finally arrives on the day of his funeral?
17 -Kim Wilde
Why does American pop culture have such an influence on Marjane and kids her age? Why are she and
her family willing to take such risks to have tapes, posters, and jean jackets?
18 -The Shabbat
Why does Marjane's family decide to stay in Tehran, despite the constant threat of bombing?
How does the bombing on her street affect Marjane? Have you ever come home to a major crisis or
disaster like she did? How did it change you?
19 -The Dowry
Marjane is outspoken at all times-how does this hurt her, and what decision does it lead her parents to
make?
What advice does Marjane's grandmother give her the night before she leaves? How do you think
Marjane might use this advice once she is in Austria?

Works Cited
FreeLibrary.org (2010)
http://libwww.freelibrary.org/onebook/obop10/Full_Teaching_Curriculum.pdf

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4. Think, Pair, and Share Political Cartoons for World Geography Class
Lesson Summary
This activity will have students split into groups and examine a political cartoon. Each group
will become an expert group on their political cartoon. After becoming an expert, groups will
pair up and explain their cartoon. Then the new group will attempt to add something new about
the cartoon that the expert group did not mention. Then the group that was asking questions will
explain their cartoon and the group that was the first expert group will try to add something to
their examination. After this has been done, groups will pair with a different group. At the end
each group will present what they and their classmates learned about their political cartoon. The
hope is that the students will come away with a better understanding of the Iranian Revolution,
how it was perceived, and how those in power treated their people. I also hope to engage their
critical thinking skills by having them look at something that I will not fully explain.
Estimated Duration
40 minutes
Materials Needed
A political cartoon for each group
Desks in groups of 4
Instructional Procedures
Pairs of students will be provided with a political cartoon to become experts on. They will spend
10 minutes researching anything and everything they can about their political cartoon. After
doing so, they will pair up with a group and give their examination of their political cartoon.
Each pairing will last about seven minutes before switching to a different group. There will be
five groups each with their own cartoon in a class of 20.
Post-Assessment
Exit Slip
1. What was the toughest cartoon to decipher?
Standards and NCSS Theme
Standard WG-4
Indicator WG-4.1
NCSS Thematic Strand 10 (Civic Ideals and Practices)

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Novel Review
This assignment will enhance the student learn of standards WG-4 and WG-6 because it asks
students to understand what the people who are creating the political cartoons are thinking as
well as what the intended audience is thinking. Also, when examining the cartoons, students can
understand what people think is right and wrong. This also lends the student to understand what
the people of Iran thinks makes a good and dutiful citizen.
Student Prompt
Spend the next 10 minutes becoming an expert on the cartoon you were given. After 10 minutes,
pair with another group and share what you know about your cartoon. Have them examine your
cartoon and see if there is anything they can add to it. After one cartoon is done, do the process
again with the other cartoon with opposite roles. After seven minutes of discourse, switch to a
different group and start the process again.
Political Cartoons (http://iranian.com/Times/Subs/Revolution/Feb99/divandari1.html)

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Works Cited
THE IRANIAN: 1979 revolution, photos, articles, songs... (n.d.). Retrieved October 13, 2015, from
http://iranian.com/Times/Subs/Revolution/Feb99/divandari1.html

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5. Gender Roles in Persepolis and Islamic Revolution Statistics World Geography

Lesson Summary
This activity will have students split into groups of two and subgroups of three. Each student
will be assigned either masculine or feminine. Once assigned that group, the student will pair
with another student in the same group and will look for examples in Persepolis for gender roles
after the Iranian Revolution. Once they find one they will research why that is their gender's
role. Each group will look for a minimum of three examples. After each group finds
explanations, the class will come together and I will write the different gender roles that people
found on the board. After all of the roles have been listed and talked about thoroughly, statistics
on gender and gender roles will be presented to the students. Students will then pair back up
with their partner and discuss the statistics.
Estimated Duration
40 minutes
Materials Needed
Presentation with the gender specific statistics
Desks in groups of four
Instructional Procedures
Students will be split into two large groups and from there three subgroups. Each subgroup will
be a pair and each pair will find a minimum of three examples of their assigned gender role in
Persepolis. After everyone has complete the assigned prompt, the teacher will present the
researched statists. Students, with their partner, will discuss the presented statistics.
Post-Assessment
Exit Slip
1. What statistic was the most shocking?
2. What statistic was the least shocking?
Standards and NCSS Theme
Standard WG-4
Indicator WG-4.1
Novel Review

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This activity enhances understanding of standard WG-4 because it asks students to specifically
focus on the importance of gender roles within a culture. Many students only know the gender
roles of their own culture, so this activity will be a good chance for students to realize that
gender roles are specific to a culture and not universal.
Student Prompt
Students will be assigned either masculine or feminine. After either gender is assigned, find
someone who has the same assigned gender and pair up. Identify at least three gender roles for
your group from the book Persepolis and why that group has those specific gender roles. You
will have 20 minutes. After collaborating you will present you findings to the class. After we
are done we are going to look at some gender specific statics about the Iranian Revolution. After
the presentation, pair back up with your partner and discuss the statistics.
Statistics (http://www.rferl.org/content/iran-revolution-by-numbers/25260205.html)
0
The number of women working as judges in Iran today. Before the revolution several women,
including future Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi, served as judges. After the Islamization
of the judicial system, women were banned from practicing as judges and their rights were
significantly curtailed under the law.
1
Motto of the revolution: "Independence, Freedom, Islamic Republic." Thirty-five years later,
critics argue that while Iran has succeeded in establishing its independence, freedom remains
elusive and Islamic principles are upheld only selectively.
10
The number of days each year that celebrate the revolution. They are called "The Ten Days of
Dawn" -- marking the return of Ayatollah Khomeini from exile on February 1, 1979, and ending
when he seized power on February 11. Some disillusioned Iranians, however, refer to this period
as "The Ten Days of Torment."
28
The kilograms of meat an average teacher's salary in Iran can buy per month. Before the
revolution, a teacher could buy six times that amount of meat, making half the salary.
38
The inflation rate today, according to official figures. Just prior to the revolution, inflation in Iran
stood at about 10 percent.
60
The percent of all university students who are women. Before the 1979 revolution, women
accounted for only about 20 percent of university entrants. One reason given for the marked
increase is the greater number of girls from conservative families pursuing a university
education. But the numbers shield current attempts to impose quotas to limit the number of

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women at universities and prevent them from studying certain subjects.

70
The number of people stoned to death on adultery charges since 1980, according to Human
Rights Watch. Stoning, as well as other forms of Islamic punishment such as amputation, were
introduced after the revolution. Women are believed to receive the majority of stoning sentences.
74
The number of lashes a woman can receive for not fully respecting the Islamic dress code in
public. The code requiring women to cover their hair and body was introduced after the
revolution.
86
Iran's rating, equal with Angola and just below North Korea, in terms of travel freedom.
According to the 2013 visa-restriction index compiled by Henley & Partners, Iran's passport is
one of the world's worst for entering another country without a visa, in part because of the
Islamic republic's association with terrorism and isolation. Before the revolution, Iranians faced
fewer travel restrictions and could travel to a number of European countries without a visa.
136
The number of Baha'i citizens in jail on charges related to their beliefs. Since the revolution, 222
Baha'is have been executed in Iran, according to the Baha'i International Community. Baha'is
have faced persecution in Iran since the founding of their faith in the mid-19th century.
However, rights activists say the repression of Baha'is, including economic and social exclusion,
became systematic and state-organized after the revolution.
200 to 250
The number of functional cinemas in Iran. Under the shah, the number of cinemas was about
double the number operating in Iran today. Some were destroyed during the revolution, others
were shut down, and some were converted for use for religious purposes.
444
The number of days American hostages were held in Iran after the revolution.
624
The number of people executed in Iran in 2013, according to figures released by the Iran Human
Rights Documentation center. For years Iran, which often uses capital punishment against drug
traffickers, has ranked among the top executioners in the world. The death penalty was in place
prior to the revolution, but was not used nearly to the extent that it is today and did not include
public hangings.
1,000
The number of political prisoners today, including 35 journalists, according to figures by the
Committee to Protect Journalists. Before the revolution, there were reportedly between 3,000 to
10,000 political prisoners in Iran, although some attribute the lower figures today to the greater
use of the death penalty by the Islamic republic.

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3,000
The number of Iranian toumans that will get you one U.S. dollar today. Iran's currency has lost
more than 60 percent of its value in the past year. Prior to the revolution, the exchange rate was
about seven toumans to the dollar.
70,000
The number of mosques, countrywide. About 20,000 mosques were built after the revolution, but
observers suggest that Iranians have become more secular, particularly the younger generation.
Officials have expressed concern that young Iranians do not hold religious and revolutionary
values.
150,000
The number of talented and educated Iranians who leave the Islamic republic each year in search
of a better future. A huge brain drain took place after the 1979 revolution and a wave of
emigration followed the controversial 2009 presidential election, which was accompanied by
increased state repression of the political opposition.
Works Cited
Irans Revolution By The Numbers. (2014, February 11). RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved
from http://www.rferl.org/content/iran-revolution-by-numbers/25260205.html