The positions of Iranians against the educational activities of American missionaries (from the period of Mohammad Shah to the Constitutional Revolution)

Authors

1 PhD in History of Iran, Payame Noor University , Tehran , Iran.

2 Professor . Department of History , Institute of Humanities and Cultural Studies ,Tehran , Iran

Abstract

The attitude of Iranians towards the American mission, which began its activities in Urmia in the mid-forties of the 19th century, went through many ups and downs until the victory of the constitutional revolution. These missionaries left an impact in various cultural, educational and medical fields in the Iranian society, but despite their effective actions, they faced various oppositions. The questions of the research are, which groups and how did they react to the cultural actions of the American missionaries? And did these reactions create obstacles in the activities of the missionaries? This article, using a descriptive-analytical method and relying on the press and unpublished documents, shows that the relationship of the Qajar rulers with the American missionaries in Iran was subject to various religious, political and social variables. On the other hand, the religious forces resisted the entry of new ideas and these oppositions even led to the killing of American missionaries, but in spite of all these challenges, the press and progressives of this period unanimously supported the activities of the missionaries due to the knowledge of the advanced American educational system. The country and by presenting numerous articles, they convinced the people and government officials that they should be influenced by American modern education and allow Muslim children to enter American missionary schools.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

  1. A: Books and articles

    Adamiyat. Fereydun  (1348). Amirkabir and Iran, Tehran: Kharazmi.

    Iqbal Ashtiani, Abbas (1323). The first political relationship between Iran and the United States and a brief history of Mirza Saeed Khan, the foreign minister, Yadgar magazine, first year, number six.

    1. Ringer, Monica (1381). Education, religion, the discourse of cultural reform in the Qajar era, translated by Mehdi Haqitkhah, Tehran: Qaqnos.

     

    Iranians from the eyes of Americans. Iran under Qajar era in American newspapers (2017). Translated by Alireza Saatchian, Tehran: Parse.

    Boghor Omid, Abolhasan (1363), from us that is on us, Tehran: Duniya Mozat Publications.

    Behnam, Jamshid (1375). Iranians and modern thought, Tehran: Farzan.

    Polak, Jacob Edward (1368), Iran and the Iranians, translated by Kikavos Jahandari, Tehran: Khwarazmi Publications.

     

    Tamdan, Mohammad (1350), Iran's situation in the First World War or the history of Rezaieh, Urmia: Tamdan Press Institute.

     

    Haj Sayah (1359). Memoirs of Haj Sayah or the Period of Fear and Terror, by the efforts of Haj Sayah and edited by Saifullah Golkar, Tehran: Sepehr Printing House.

     

    Memories of Taj Al-Sultaneh (1361). Behkoshesh Mansoureh Laihang and Siros Saadovandian, Tehran: Tarikh Iran Publishing House.

    Khosrowzadeh, Sirvan (2017). Way of Bisranjam, a look at the history of the Assyrians in the First World War, Tehran: Shirazeh Kitab Ma.

    Elder, John (1333). History of the American Mission in Iran, translated by Sohail Azari, Tehran: Nurjahan.

    Delrich, Bushra (1375). Women in the Qajar Period, Tehran: Department of Religious Studies of Art.

    Ramtin, Hossein (1341). Americans in Iran, Tehran: Bina.

    Rene Dalmani, Hanri (1335), travel book from Khorasan to Bakhtiari, translated by Fareh Vashi, Tehran: Tehran Press.

     

    1. J. And. Benjamin, S. J. and (1363). Iran and Iranians in the era of Naser al-Din Shah, translated by Hossein Kordbecheh, Tehran: Javidan.

    Saadounian, Siros (1368), Statistics of Darul Caliphate of Tehran, Tehran: Tarikh Iran Publication.

    Alisofi, Alireza (1378), the role of balance policy and the third force in the history of Iran, Tehran: Payam Noor.

    Kavianpour, Ahmed (1378), History of Urmia, Bija: Azar Kohn Publications.

    Gertrudebel, (1363), pictures from Iran, translated by Bozorgmehr Riahi, Tehran: Khwarazmi.

    Mehboubi Ardakani, Hossein (1354), History of New Civilization Institutions in Iran, Volume 1, Tehran: Tehran University Press.

    Melai Tovani, Alireza (2019), Striving for Freedom (Another Narrative of Iran's Constitutional Revolution), Tehran: Research Institute of Imam Khomeini (RA) and Islamic Revolution.

    Malekzadeh, Mehdi (1363). History of the Constitutional Revolution, Vol. 1, 2, 3, Tehran: Scientific.

    Mojani, Seyyed Ali (1375), selected documents of Iran-American relations (1851-1925 AD), Tehran: Office of Political and International Studies.

    Natiq, Homa (1368). Iran in its cultural path (1834-1848), Paris: Khavaran.

    Natiq, Homa (1380). Cultural performance of the French in Iran (1837-1921), Tehran: Mazares Pajohan.

    Nizam Mafi, Ezzat al-Sultaneh (2011). A woman's story (in the undertones of the times), by the efforts of Mansoureh Laghyan, Bahman Farman, Tehran: Tarikh Iran Publishing House.

    Yeselson, Abraham (1368). History of political relations between Iran and America, translated by Mohammad Bagher Aram, Tehran: Amir Kabir.

     

    B: Publications

    Akhtar newspaper (1306 AD), number 8, page 4351.

    (1311 AH), No. 16, p. 6137.

    (1313 AH), No. 2, p. 7.

    Tarbiat newspaper (1322 AD), number 353, page 1735.

    Soraya newspaper (1317 AH), number 42, pp. 15, 14.

    Habal Al Matin newspaper (1317 AH), number 12, page 138.

    (1319), No. 20, pp. 13, 7.

    Mozaffari newspaper (1319 AH), number 2, page 31.

    Naseri newspaper (1316 AH), number 7, page 7.

    Vaqai-Etfaqiye Newspaper (1273 AH), No. 312, p. 2036.

    1. Historical documents

    National Library and Documents Organization of Iran (SAKMA), Document No. 8103/295.

    , 297/15977

    Department of Documents and History of Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Estadukh), 1269 AH, Carton 7, Folder 26.

    , 1306 AH, box 20, folder 3.

    , 1321 AH, box 11, folder 5.

    , 1323 AH, box 4, folder 15.

    , 1324 AH, box 27, folder 6.

    , 1325 AH, box 23, folder 1.

    , 1325 AH, box 4, folder 18.

    , 1325 AH, box 24, folder 12.

    , 1328 AH, carton 26, folder 11.

     

    References

    Arianne Ishay,, Settling Into Diaspora: A History of Urmia Assyrians in the United States, Journal of Assyrian Academic Studies, Vol. 20, no. 1, 2006

    Adam H. Becker, Revival and Awaaking American Evangelical missionaries in Iran and origins of Assyrian Nationalism, the university of Chicago press Chicago and Londan: 2015.

    Perkins, Justin. Historical Sketch of the mission to the nestorians. Boston: American Board of Commissioners for Foreign MISSIONS, 1866.

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History

  • Receive Date: 08 November 2022
  • Revise Date: 11 February 2023
  • Accept Date: 17 March 2023

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