American Pageant is presented as a “decalogue.” Hence it is divided into ten acts, with an introductory Prologue and an Intermission between Act 4 and Act 5.
Prologue
Act 1 — “The Divided American Soul”
Act 2 — “A Revolution of Paradoxes”
Act 3 — “An Empire of Cotton”
Act 4 — “The Fall of the House of Dixie”
Act 5 — “An American Tragedy”: Overthrow of the First Reconstruction and the Horror of American Apartheid
Act 6 — “A Turning of the Tide?” The Second World War and Another Chance for the Declaration of Independence
Act 7 — “Holding Strongly to the Truth”: The Civil Rights Movement and the Launching of the Second Reconstruction
Act 8 — "Liberation for All"
Act 9 — “Backlash”
Act 10 — “In the balance…”
Act 1—“The Divided American Soul”
Act 2—“A Revolution of Paradoxes”
Act 3—“An Empire of Cotton”
Act 4—“The Fall of the House of Dixie”
Intermission
Act 5—“An American Tragedy”: Overthrow of the First Reconstruction and the Horror of American Apartheid
Act 6—“A Turning of the Tide?” The Second World War and Another Chance for the Declaration of Independence
Act 7—“Holding Strongly to the Truth”: The Civil Rights Movement and the Launching of the Second Reconstruction
Act 8—Liberation for All*
*Featuring “Do I Dare to Dream of You,” music and lyrics by John Engerman
Act 9—“Backlash”
Act 10—“In the balance…”
PROLOGUE
Act 1—“The Divided American Soul”
Act 2—“A Revolution of Paradoxes”
Act 3—“An Empire of Cotton”
Act 4—“The Fall of the House of Dixie”
INTERMISSION
Act 5—“An American Tragedy”: Overthrow of the First Reconstruction and the Horror of American Apartheid
Act 6—“A Turning of the Tide?” The Second World War and Another Chance for the Declaration of Independence
Act 7—“Holding Strongly to the Truth”: The Civil Rights Movement and the Launching of the Second Reconstruction
Act 8—Liberation for All*
Act 9—“Backlash”
Act 10—“In the balance…”
*Featuring “Do I Dare to Dream of You,” music and lyrics by John Engerman