America and Iran:1720 to Present

In recent times, the United States and Iran have seemed closer to war than peace, but that is not where their story began. When the United States was in its infancy, Thomas Jefferson and John Quincy Adams turned to the history of the Persian Empire as they looked for guidance on how to run their new country. In the following century, Iranian newspapers heralded American politics and practices as ideals that their own government might someday emulate. How, then, did the two nations become the adversaries that they are today? In this course, we will trace the complex story of America and Iran over three centuries. Drawing on a range of primary sources, films and other historical materials, students will be expected to challenge easy notions of right and wrong, and instead seek to understand why each country has made the decisions it has made at various points in history. The ultimate goal will be to gain a deeper understanding of when, where and how it all went wrong for Iran and America – and why, perhaps, it didn't have to be this way.  Note: There will one hour of synchronous meetings every Monday, at a time to be determined in consultation with registered students. Students are strongly urged to read the following two Wikipedia entries before the first day of class: 1979 Iran hostage crisis and 1953 CIA coup.