As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, historian Joseph Ellis offers a nuanced reflection on the founding era, emphasizing both its revolutionary achievements and unresolved contradictions. Ellis, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author known for his work on early American history, underscores that the American Revolution marked a fundamental shift in political thought by transferring power from monarchs to the people. However, he also highlights the unresolved issues of slavery and Native American sovereignty as central, tragic legacies of the period.

Ellis describes the Revolution as a “total reversal” of Western political tradition, where authority flowed upward from the populace rather than downward from divine or royal prerogative. Yet, he argues that the leaders who forged independence and the Constitution made two critical compromises that shaped the nation’s future. On slavery, Ellis refers to the failure to abolish the institution during and immediately after the Revolution as a “Shakespearean tragedy” — a scenario that might have unfolded differently had leadership been more resolute, but instead deferred confronting the issue in order to maintain unity among the colonies. He explains that any effort to end slavery at the time would likely have prompted Southern states to separate or even side with Britain, imperiling independence itself. By the time the Constitution was drafted, an outright anti-slavery stance would have prevented ratification, according to Ellis.

Ellis asserts that the consequences of this postponement were profound, with the “Niagara Falls” of the Civil War looming shortly after the founding generation’s compromises, a brutal conflict born from tensions that the founders had chosen not to resolve. Yet despite these failings, Ellis still regards the Declaration’s assertion that “all men are created equal” as perhaps the most significant sentence in American — and global — political history. He suggests that Thomas Jefferson deliberately planted an ideal that future generations could expand upon, pointing to Abraham Lincoln’s recognition that Jefferson had the courage to enshrine an “absolute truth” destined to challenge injustice in the years ahead.

Turning to Native American relations, Ellis characterizes this aspect of the nation’s founding as a “Greek tragedy,” a fate written into the structural forces of society that even leaders like George Washington could not alter. He recounts Washington’s failed initiative, working with Henry Knox, to establish a permanent Native American state encompassing parts of what are now Alabama and Mississippi, intended to protect Creek land and political sovereignty. Despite Washington’s dedication, this vision collapsed under pressure from settlers and state governments eager to claim Native territories, a defeat Washington reportedly never forgave himself for.

When asked how Americans should commemorate the Declaration’s milestone, Ellis discourages elaborate ceremonies in favor of thoughtful engagement with the document’s complex legacy. He recommends reading the Declaration aloud in groups and fostering open, honest discussion about what it meant at the time of its creation and what it signifies today. This approach, Ellis suggests, honors both the promise and the paradox of America’s founding by acknowledging its historic ideals alongside its enduring challenges.