Patrick+Henry

=Patrick Henry (1736-1799)=

__**Essential Questions:**__
1.) What cause was Henry a staunch defender of and how did his leadership for this cause benefit the young nation? 2.) How can Henry's Stamp Act Speech be seen as the first call for revolution in America? 3.) What was the reason for Patrick Henry's famous [|"Give me liberty or give me death"] speech?

**__Facts:__**
- Henry, though he failed as a businessman, found success as a lawyer. - He was elected to Virginia's House of Burgesses in 1764. - Henry's first famous speech, which opposed the Stamp Act, drew cries of treason. - Henry delivered his famous "Give me Liberty or give me death" speech prior to Virginia's vote to rebel. - Henry served in the First Continental Congress in 1774. He also served in the Second Continental Congress for a brief period. - Henry briefly served as the commander of Virginia's military at the begining of the Revolutionary War. - Henry assisted in creating the Commonwealth of Virginia's constitution in 1776. - Henry was elected as Virginia's first governor during the Revolutionary War in 1776. He would be elected to four more one-year terms. Following his final term, Henry continued practicing law. - As an Anti-Federalist, Henry opposed the ratification of the Constitution. He demanded a Bill of Rights and was therefore influential in the adoption of the Bill of Rights. - Henry later became a prominent Federalist and strongly supported George Washington and John Adams. - Henry was offered several government positions including Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Secretary of State, and ambassador to France. However, due to his failing health, Henry declined all of the offers. - Henry was elected to Virginia's state legislature, but he died before he was able to take office. - Henry did not actually write his speeches. The only records of his speeches come from eyewitnesses.

__**Answers to Essential Questions:**__
1.) Henry championed individual rights, as is evident in his support for the American Revolution against British territory and his insistence upon the addition of a Bill of Rights to the Constitution. His leadership for the protection of individuals' inalienable rights influenced the adoption of the Bill of Rights. 2.) By stating "Caesar had his Brutus, Charles the First his Cromwell, and George the Third... may profit from their example", Henry's fiery rhetoric in his "Stamp Act Speech" suggested the overthrow of King George the Third by the colonists as a result of his high, unjust taxes. Many colonists at the time were outraged at the Stamp Act. The colonists did not consider themselves British citizens, and thus did not feel that the British government had any right to tax the colonies. 3.) Henry delivered his famous "Give me liberty or give me death" speech with the intent of thrusting Virginia into the conflict known as the American Revolution. Henry presented his famous oratory in front of Virginia's delegates, who were meeting in order to determine Virginia's allegiance.

__**For More Information:**__
http://www.redhill.org/biography_detailed.html

__**Work Cited:**__
__Colonial Williasburg__. 24 Oct. 2007 <[|http://www.history.org/Almanack/people/bios/]pathenryspeech.html>.

Estrella, Espie. "Patrick Henry." __Music Education__. About.com. 24 Oct. 2007 <[|http://musiced.about.com/od/musicinstruments/ig/Historical-Figures/patrickhenry.htm>.]

Fowler, William Morgan, Jr. "Henry, Patrick." __The World Book Encyclopedia__. 2006 ed. Vol. 9. Chicago: World Book, 2006. 189-91.

Kindig, Thomas. "Patrick Henry." __UShistory__. 24 Oct. 2007 .

"Patric Henry Speech." __historyplace__. 24 Oct. 2007 .

"Patrick Henry." __colonial williamsburg__. 24 Oct. 2007 .

"Patrick Henry Biography Brief." __Redhill__. 7 Feb. 2005. 24 Oct. 2007 .