Chicano Studies

Chicano Studies courses operate from the consideration that race and racism have been, and continue to be, profoundly powerful social and cultural forces in American society. This course addresses the history, culture, and struggles of the Mexican American people starting with pre-Columbian indigenous civilizations up to current issues in the community. Many times we will address well known historical events, but from the perspective of the Chicano experience.

Chicano Studies

• Unit 1: Race, Ethnicity and Identity

• Unit 2: Meso-American Civilizations Pre-Columbian Era

• Unit 3: Conquest and Independence 1500-1800s

• Unit 4: Revolutions and Immigration to US 1900s

• Unit 5: Chicanos during the War - Zoot Suit Riots 1940s

• Unit 6: Change and Reform of the 1950s and 60s

• Unit 7: Immigration and Current Day Stats & Events

The major purpose of this course is to educate students to be politically, socially, and economically conscious about their personal connections to local and national history.

Ethnic Studies courses focus on themes of social justice, social responsibility, and social change. The course spans from past to present, from politics to social reform, allowing students to identify similar social patterns and universal qualities present in other societies, including their own.

• To improve literacy and encourage critical thinking.

• To understand the historical roots of current world issues, especially as they pertain to race relations.

• To recognize that democratic ideals and political systems are often achieved at a high price, remain vulnerable, and are constantly changing due to social unrest and demand.

• To relate current issues to their historical, geographical, political, economic, and cultural context, and gain the skills needed to participate in democratic society.

• To consider multiple accounts of events in order to understand international relations and events from a variety of perspectives.

• To produce citizens that are capable of making educated decisions based on a better understanding of the political and social system that have shaped our modern world.

• Students will improve their ability to learn independently by drawing generalizations from related articles, literature, primary sources, data & graphs, political cartoons, video sources, and diagrams.