This bilingual study guide was designed for use with a packet of multimedia materials that include a videotape program, color reproductions, and slides. Information and lesson materials in the guide may be adapted for independent use. The study guide examines Latino social, cultural, and political history in the United States from the 17th century to the present through the documentation of artistic expression. The focus is on the three largest Latino cultural groups in the United States: Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Cuban Americans, with reference to other groups whose cultural roots are in the Dominican Republic or Central and South America. Activities for classroom discussion and individual and group projects are given in each of four thematic units: (1) "Artistic Tradition in the Southwest"; (2) "Mixing Cultures and Blending Influences"; (3) "Making a New Life in the United States"; and (4) "Expressions of Social Concern." The guide concludes with a glossary and Spanish pronunciation, artists' biographies, a chronology of events, and further reading. (MM)