As a Nebraskan, I’m confident in saying that we here like a good origin story.

Perhaps it’s because we put considerable stock in the idea that where we’re from often guides where we’re going. Or perhaps it’s because we understand how the past connects to the present. Who knows?

Maybe we’re just nosy about where our neighbors come from.

Whatever the reason, I hope Nebraskans watched “The American Revolution,” the new film from Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt. The 12-hour series, which ran on PBS last week, is America’s original origin story. You can still stream it or catch it when PBS makes it available again.

This particular origin story also has a strong undercurrent of irony, a riptide of cognitive dissonance. More on that below.

I enjoyed the film as a history nerd, jo

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