So, that means 250 years ago today people in America were discussing the offenses of the British government. If you’ve seen the musical “Hamilton,” there’s a hip-hop song in which Alexander Hamilton eviscerates some Loyalist, but the larger idea is that it took a lot of conversation and persuasion to get to July 4, 1776. Given that, I think it’s appropriate to begin celebrating early, and Utah plans to do that over the next year.

I’m interested in this because I’m an official Daughter of the American Revolution, which means I proved my connection to Lt. Col. Samuel Clyde, my sixth great-grandfather, who fought in the Revolutionary War. I’m sure that at least six of my other sixth- and seventh great-grandfathers fought in that war. I’m also sure that some of my female ancestors were revolutionaries.

As a storyteller, I often remember them. They fought in the area of America where I grew up — upstate New York — and my grandfather is now buried in the Saratoga National Cemetery within a mile of the first American military victory, which happened at Saratoga.

My ancestors were flawed individuals. I often tell my students that I’m responsible for everything that has gone wrong in America, and I’ve benefited from all that has gone well. I also tell them there’s a reason why I’m slightly crazy and more than a little punk, and it’s because my DNA comes from people who were pretty sure they could do amazing things — like take a break from their farming for a few years, fight a war against the Empire and win.

Please note that, had they lost, my ancestors would have been tried as traitors and probably hanged. Also note, they lived in a time of slavery and of women being treated as second-class citizens, and I have not found much evidence of them fighting that.

America is flawed in so many ways. Too often in this country, the rhetoric is either that we need to make America great again or we need to start over. Our young people are taught to see one history, as though the beauty of America is for one set of people rather than another, as though we can judge it as perfect or a failure. Just as my ancestors were flawed, and I would be remiss to judge them in a binary way, so is America, with all its choices over the last 250 years.

When I reflect on my own life and look back on the decisions I’ve made, I own all of them. Some were disastrous, and some were beautiful. Some of the consequences didn’t come into full view until years later. Such is true of America. The point is the never-ending striving to be better.

This coming year, our nation will commemorate and celebrate the 250th anniversary of America when they wrote, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” The point is the never-ending pursuit of these ideals.

The Utah website states we will be commemorating and celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, which is not exactly right. That will happen twelve years from now when we celebrate the signing of our Constitution in 1787. In 2026, we are celebrating the birth of our nation, our people, our separation from the Empire, and our decision to make all our own decisions, good and bad. All of them have been ours.

I invite you to celebrate America250. Attend events — we’ll be hosting some at Weber State University over the next year — learn about that time, and reflect on choices we made, paths we did not travel, and ask yourself the interesting counter-factual questions.

Take young people in your lives with you and talk about how cool it is that 250 years ago, normal, everyday people rose up in defense of their rights to pursue life, liberty and happiness, setting the foundation to allow ever-increasing numbers of people to do the same.

Maybe talk about how America was always great, is still great, and how we can keep striving to be greater.

Leah Murray is a Brady Presidential Distinguished Professor of Political Science and the director of the Olene S. Walker Institute of Politics & Public Service at Weber State University. This commentary is provided through a partnership with Weber State. The views expressed by the author do not necessarily represent the institutional values or positions of the university.