Minnesota & The American Story: Revolutionary Roots

Premieres on Thursday, May 14, at 9pm on Prairie Public
 

Two and a half centuries after the birth of the American Revolution, the ideals of liberty, self-governance, and civic responsibility continue to shape communities across Minnesota.

In this powerful one-hour documentary, four stories from across the state explore how the spirit of 1776 lives on far beyond the original colonies. Though Minnesota was largely frontier wilderness during the Revolutionary era, its people today carry forward the legacy of those founding principles in deeply personal and community-driven ways.

This program includes a short feature from Prairie Public, Clay County Settlements, which explores the history of Scandinavian and German immigrants who settled in western Minnesota, drawn by the railroad and the promise of land through the Homestead Act.

STREAM
The documentary will be available to stream on the PBS app beginning May 14, 2026.