Constructing the Cold War: Cold War ideologies and narrative frameworks in The American Pageant

Anti-communism functioned not merely as a foreign policy stance but as a distinctly American ideology that helped define national identity, creating a moral logic—a binary opposition between capitalism and communism—that remains deeply embedded in political culture. This thesis investigates the critical role of American history textbooks, specifically the influential The American Pageant, in transmitting these enduring ideological frameworks to successive generations of students. The study asks: How do specific narratives in Cold War-era textbooks frame political ideologies and influence students’ perceptions of politics and foreign policy, and how do these narratives persist to shape political behavior and reinforce ideas about America’s role in the world after the original context has diminished? Employing a qualitative content analysis of multiple editions of The American Pageant spanning the years 1956 through 2010, this research traces the evolution and persistence of "Cold War logic" by identifying shifts in language, emphasis, and omissions that contribute to political socialization. The analysis identifies three persistent ideological narratives that form a cohesive framework: 1) the ideological dichotomy framing communism and capitalism as moral opposites; 2) the portrayal of the United States as the savior and righteous justifier of intervention; and 3) the celebration of capitalism, conflating market-oriented values with freedom and democracy. The textual analysis is further contextualized by comparing narrative trends with public opinion data from the American National Election Studies (ANES) on isolationism, support for military intervention, and the proper role of government.