Ethnic Studies: Mexican American Studies

Apply absolute and relative chronology through the sequencing of significant individuals, events, and time periods.

Explain the significance of the following events as turning points relevant to Mexican American history: Aztec arrival in Mexico's central valley, establishment of the Aztec Empire, Hernán Cortés's first encounter with the Aztecs, Spanish conquest of the Aztecs, creation of the New Laws, and Jesuit expulsion from the Americas.

Examine the contributions of significant individuals from the Spanish colonial era, including Moctezuma, Hernán Cortés, La Malinche, Bartolomé de las Casas, and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz.

Explain the significance of the following events as turning points relevant to Mexican American history: the Grito de Dolores, Mexico's acquisition of independence, Texas's declaration of independence from Mexico, Mexican-American War, Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexican Revolution, creation of the U.S. Border Patrol, and Mexican repatriation of the 1930s.

Examine the contributions of significant individuals from this period such as Father Miguel Hidalgo, José María Morelos, Augustín de Iturbide, Emiliano Zapata, Francisco (Pancho) Villa, Francisco I. Madero, Porfirio Díaz, and Álvaro Obregón.

Explain the significance of the following events as turning points relevant to Mexican American history: U.S. entry into World War II, Bracero Program, Longoria Affair, Operation Wetback, Hernández v. Texas, Brown v. Board of Education, Civil Rights Act of 1964, Voting Rights Act of 1965, Farmworkers strike and boycott, and establishment of La Raza Unida Party.

Identify the contributions of significant individuals from the civil rights era such as César Chávez, Dolores Huerta, Reies López Tijerina, José Ángel Gutiérrez, Rubén Salazar, Emma Tenayuca, Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales, Marcario García, Hector P. García, Raul "Roy" Perez Benavidez, Martha P. Cotera, Jovita Idár, Jovita González de Mireles, Sara Estela Ramírez, Leonor Villegas de Magnon, Adela Sloss Vento, María L. de Hernández, and Alicia "Alice" Dickerson Montemayor.

Explain the significance of the following events as turning points relevant to Mexican American history: the Immigration Reform and Control Act, Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigration Responsibility Act; and H.R. 4437 passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006.

Identify the contributions of significant individuals such as Raul Yzaguirre, William "Willie" Velásquez, Gloria Evangelina Anzaldúa, Henry Cisneros, Cherríe L. Moraga, and Bill Richardson.

Locate places and regions of cultural and historical significance in Mexican American history.

Identify physical and human geographic factors related to the settlement of American Indian societies.

Explain how issues of land use related to Mexican Independence, Texas Independence, and the Mexican Revolution.

Analyze physical and human geographic factors related to Mexican migration from the 1910s to the 1930s.

Identify physical and human geographic factors related to the migration of Mexican laborers as part of the 1940s Bracero Program.

Analyze the physical and human geographic factors related to contemporary Mexican migration to and Mexican American migration within the United States.

Analyze the economic impact of Mexican repatriation of the 1930s.

Evaluate the contributions of the Bracero Program to the U.S. war effort and the development of the agricultural economy in the American Southwest.

Explain the struggle to create a farmworkers union and the union's efforts to fight for better wages.

Analyze the economic contributions of the Mexican American labor force.

Analyze the purchasing power of the Mexican American population as it relates to U.S. household consumption and gross domestic product (GDP).

Discuss current issues related to the Mexican American labor force.

Describe how Mexican Americans have participated in supporting and changing government.

Analyze the impact of Salvatierra v. Del Rio Independent School District (ISD), Delgado v. Bastrop ISD, and Hernández v. Texas on Mexican Americans and the end of the biracial paradigm.

Analyze the Mexican American struggle for civil rights as manifested in the Chicano movement.

Evaluate the successes and failures of the Mexican American civil rights movement and the farmworkers movement.

Analyze the significance of U.S. Supreme Court decisions in Miranda v. Arizona, San Antonio ISD v. Rodríguez, and Plyler v. Doe.

Discuss the role of various organizations such as the American G.I. Forum, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), and the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) that have participated in the Mexican American struggle for political power.

Describe the rights and responsibilities of Mexican American citizens and Mexican immigrants in civic participation within the United States.

Discuss ways American citizens and immigrants interpret formal citizenship and cultural citizenship, including membership in one nation and membership in diverse cultural and national groups.

Discuss ways individuals contribute to the national identity as members of diverse cultural groups.

Analyze the connotations and histories of identity nomenclature relevant to Mexican Americans such as Mexican, Spanish, Hispanic, Latina/o, Chicana/o, illegal, undocumented, Mexican American, American Mexican, or simply American.

Describe how the characteristics and issues of Mexican American history have been reflected in various genres of art, music, film, and literature.

Analyze the significance of selected works of Mexican American literature such as "I am Joaquín" (1967) by Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales and "Pensamiento Serpentino" (1971) by Luis Valdez.

Describe the role of artistic expression in mobilizing Mexican Americans and others toward civic participation and action such as the role of "Teatro Campesino" during the farmworkers movement.

Identify the contributions of women such as Sandra Cisneros and Norma Alarcón.

Identify the impact of Mexican American popular culture on the United States and the world over time.

Explain the major ideas in astronomy, mathematics, and architectural engineering that developed in the Maya and Aztec civilizations.

Identify contributions to science and technology in the United States and the world made by Mexican Americans such as Albert Baez, Martha E. Bernal, Ellen Ochoa, Linda Garcia Cubero, and Mario José Molina.

Use social studies terminology correctly.

Analyze diverse points of view related to contemporary Mexican American issues.

Create a written and/or oral presentation on a contemporary issue or topic relevant to Mexican Americans using critical methods of inquiry.

Analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing inferences and conclusions.