The Zoot Suit Riots provide students with a case study of social unrest in American history. The influx of Latinos into the Los Angeles area prior to World War II created high levels of social unrest between Mexican Americans, military servicemen, and local residences. With large numbers of soldiers stationed in the area during the Second World War, conflicts broke out between the young Latinos and the soldiers. The following material provides a short historical review of the events related to the riots, a lesson plan, and resources to engage the students in exploring the events of this time period.