2026 marks the 250th Anniversary of the publication of the Declaration of Independence and the official beginning of the American Revolution. This panel proposes to explore the intellectual framework of the Declaration and the subsequent War of Independence, especially as reflected in the problem of slavery. From the first drafts to the final version, the revolutionary Declaration reveals not only profound philosophical insights and propositions, but also deeply conflicted political priorities and sociological realities. The War of Independence and its aftermath likewise manifested numerous strategies and goals, not all of them in harmony with each other. The individual papers address philosophical and political approaches to the problem of slavery before, during, and after the Revolution using a variety of primary and secondary sources. The aim of this panel is neither to damn nor to beatify the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution, but rather to invite an exploration of their rich and complex intellectual architecture and legacy. It should, therefore, be of interest to historians interested in the history of slavery in North America, as well as to those interested in the political philosophy of the revolutionary period and of the early republic.