Strand
History, Social Studies, Civil Rights
Standards
NCSS Social Studies Standards V, VI, and X
Objectives
Identify major leaders of the Chicano Movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s; describe the goals and methods of the individuals and organizations involved in this movement. Write a dialogue between two leaders of the Movement comparing and contrasting their experiences and opinions about the goals and methods of the Movement.
Historical Perspective
For at least 150 years, the Mexican American struggle for civil rights has been characterized by courageous individuals standing alone to resist discrimination, forming groups for organized efforts to draw attention to abuses of liberty, and using the existing political structure to demand justice. The Chicano Movement arose in the 1960s amid the context of Vietnam protests and the growing militancy of the Black civil rights movement. Although the four charismatic leaders of the Movement – Cesar Chavez, Jose Angel Gutierrez, Corky Gonzales, and Reies Lopez Tijerina – were each successful in drawing attention to his specific concerns, none of these leaders was able to unify the Movement into a national following.
Pacing
2 class periods
Materials
Expository Writing
Students have the opportunity to write an Analytical Essay (see Extension below).
Key Questions
What are civil rights and where do they come from? What were the specific goals of the Chicano Movement? What methods did various leaders use to try to achieve these goals?
Point of View
Each student will write a dialogue from the point of view of two leaders of the Chicano Movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Students will research the biographies of various leaders of the Movement and select two to include in their dialogue. Have students research these topics using the provided links. Encourage them to use the suggested graphic organizer as they read the articles. The written dialogue should clearly identify the goals and methods of the leaders of the Movement.
DBQs
To start students thinking about the concept of discrimination, have them examine Section 1 of the 14th Amendment.
Key questions they should answer are:
- What does it mean to be a citizen of the United States?
- What are examples of privileges and immunities of citizens?
- What is due process?
- What does equal protection of the laws mean?
Directions
Distribute the Student Activity sheet. Have a student read the 14th Amendment aloud. Tell the students that many of the leaders of the Chicano Movement saw this part of our Constitution as a key to achieving civil rights. Have students keep the following topics in mind as they conduct their research.
- Poverty and social justice
- Fair wages
- Land ownership and property rights
- Voting rights
- Equal access to housing, education, and employment
Tell students to use the Two-Column Graphic Organizer to take notes. Remind students that their dialogue should include at least ten questions or comments and responses. The writing should incorporate specific details about the leaders themselves or the events they participated in. Tell students that they will read their dialogues for the class.
Assessment
Use the General Writing Rubric to assess students’ performance. Have students reflect on their performance and use the list of expectations to judge how well they met the criteria.
Extension
Have students use the Latino American Experience to research and write an analytical essay on the earlier leaders of the Mexican American struggle for civil rights. How did the earlier goals compare to those of the 1960s?
(May be copied for classroom use.)