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Overview from California Department of Education  

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The Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum posted on the Department website (www.cde.ca.gov) has guidelines for schools and districts, rationales for ethnic studies, and a (massive) section with background information about a number of ethnic groups, including resources and sample lessons. Below are the chapters and URLs for each separate chapter as the whole publication is huge. Resources listed in the pull down menu are in addition to what is included in the Model Curriculum chapters.

 ETHNIC STUDIES

MODEL CURRICULUM

Table of Contents
Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum Preface p.1
Chapter 1 – Introduction and Overview p.7
Chapter 2 – District Implementation Guidance p. 23
https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/documents/esmcchapter2.pdf
Chapter 3 – Instructional Guidance for K-12 Education p.33
https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/documents/esmcchapter3.pdf
Chapter 4 – Sample Lessons and Topics p.73
https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/documents/esmcchapter4.pdf
Chapter 5 – Lesson Resources p. 411
https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/documents/esmcchapter5.pdf
Chapter 6 – UC Approved Course Outlines p. 425
https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/documents/esmcchapter6.pdf

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See also "Cesar Chavez' and 'Cinco de Mayo', and 'Hispanic-Latinx Heritage'.  listed under the 'School Observances' pull down. 

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See also the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino (www.latino.si.edu)

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There is no easy definition or ethnic description of Latinos in the United States. Broadly an American Latino is anyone with a Spanish or Portuguese family background is so included by the US Census, which in 2020 included almost 60 million people, the second largest ethnic group in the US. People with Latino backgrounds come from  Spain, Portugal and all the countries of Latin America. Each of these have separate histories and the ethnicities differ substantially. Chile and Argentina are largely European in background. Brazil is both Portuguese and African, mainly. Mexico includes people originally from Spain and many Native American groups as well as people who have both in their backgrounds. All these make up the US Latino population. Latinos were part of what is now the central and western United States long before the United States existed.

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Spanish explorers and conquerers entered what is now the United States in the 1530's and 1540's both in the East and West. The first European permanent settlement in what is now the United States was St. Augustine, Florida, in 1565. In the West, New Mexico was established as a Spanish settlement just a few years later.  Its capital Santa Fe was established in 1610, making it the oldest capital city in the present day United States. What is now California and Arizona were also part of the Spanish Empire in the 1600's. The first Spanish mission in what is now the United States was in San Antonio, Texas, in 1718. A series of missions were founded in the next few years. A second series of missions came to California starting in San Diego in the late l700's. 

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