HENRY, PATRICK
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.
Henry was born May 29, 1736, in Hanover County, Virginia. Though Henry attended pub-
lic school for a short time, he was largely taught by his father, who had a good education. From 1751 to 1760, Henry was a storekeeper and farmer.When his business and farming ventures failed, he turned to the study of law, and received
his license to practice in 1760.
Within three years, Henry had become a
prominent attorney, owing in great measure to
his oratorical skills. He was drawn to politics,
and was elected to the Virginia House of
Burgesses in 1765. In this colonial legislature,
Henry became an outspoken critic of British
policies toward the thirteen colonies. He intro-
duced seven resolutions against the STAMP ACT,
which levied a tax by requiring that stamps be
affixed to documents and other papers. 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. Colonial
businesspeople, in support of the resolves, agreed
not to import British goods until the Stamp Act
was repealed. Trade diminished, and business
owners refused to use the stamps on business
documents. Faced with organized resistance in
the colonies, and the displeasure of British busi-
nesses that had lost trade, the British Parliament
repealed the Stamp Act on March 4, 1766.
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 revolu-
tion. Before this convention, he made his most
famous remarks, words that became the clarion
call that led the colonies into revolution: “I know
not what course others may take, but as for me,
give me liberty or give me death.”
246 HENRY, PATRICK
WEST’S ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN LAW, 2nd Edition
Patrick Henry 1736–1799
? ?
1736 Born,
Hanover County, Va.
1799 Elected to
Va. legislature;
died, Red Hill, Va.
1760
Admitted to
Virginia bar
1774 Became member of the Virginia Provincial
Convention when House of Burgesses dissolved
1765 Elected to Va. House of Burgesses;
led effort to repeal Stamp Act
1766 Stamp
Act repealed
1788 Attended
Va. convention
for the
ratification of
U.S. Constitution;
advocated
addition of the
Bill of Rights
1775–83
American Revolution
¡ ¡
¡ ¡
1775 1775 1800 1800 1725 1725 1750 1750
1751–60 Worked
as storekeeper
and farmer
?
?? ?? ? ?
1773 Joined
Jefferson and Lee
to form the
Committee of
Correspondence
1774–75 Attended First
and Second Continental
Congresses
1794 Retired to
Red Hill, Va. 1776–79 and
1784–86 Served as
governor of Virginia
