Patrick Henry

Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death

- Patrick Henry

Henry was born May 29, 1736, in Hanover County, Virginia. His early marriage to Sarah Shelton made him at 35 the father of six children. Henry began his career as a storekeeper and tobacco farmer, but in 1760 he began practicing law. He gained attention throughout the colonies for opposing King George III and the Stamp Act in a speech. He introduced seven resolutions against the Stamp Act. In one speech opposing the act, he stated, "If this be treason, make the most of it." Henry's efforts led the Virginia House of Burgesses to pass five of the seven resolutions he introduced. All seven resolutions were reprinted in newspapers as the Virginia Resolves. Henry grew more radical after the repeal of the act, arguing that the colonies should break away from Great Britain. In 1773, he joined with Thomas Jefferson and Richard Henry Lee to form the Committee of Correspondence to transmit messages throughout the colonies. When the House of Burgesses was dissolved in 1774, he became a member of the Virginia Provincial Convention, which advocated revolution.

During 1774 and 1775, Henry attended the First Continental Congress as a member of the Virginia delegation, advocating military mobilization. When the Second Continental Congress convened in 1775, he helped draft the legislation that organized the Continental Army. In 1776 he also helped draft the Virginia Constitution.

On 23 March 1775, Henry gave a great speech before Virginia's legislature, urging his fellow men to arm themselves in anticipation of hostilities with the British.


Patrick Henry was a leading statesman and orator at the time of the American Revolutionary War. Several of Henry's speeches have remained vivid documents of the revolutionary period, with "Give me liberty or give me death" his most remembered statement.