Patrick Henry's Contribution To The Constitution

“Give me liberty, or give me death.” Patrick Henry is forever noted in history for this famous line during the American Revolution. His contributions to liberty did not stop with the British, however. Patrick Henry was the leader of the Anti-Federalists in the early years of our country. The Anti-Federalists did not want a federal government system, where there is a strong central government, then smaller, state governments. Patrick Henry had his own ideas for a decentralized national government, which he added on to the Constitution during the ratification convention in Virginia.

Patrick Henry was invited to the Constitutional Convention, however, he vehemently declined the offer. He did not approve of the fact that they were secret meetings and went on to say “I smell a rat!” However, that did not stop him from voicing his thoughts on the national government that this new nation needed and against the one established at the Constitutional Convention. Patrick Henry was a

In his speeches, he pointed out critical aspects of the government that were left out of the Constitution. During his speech on June, 7 1788, he discussed that Virginia has a Bill of Rights which included broad suffrage, unlike the United States Constitution. Using this as a basis, he wonders how the states could trust a government that doesn’t even mention suffrage. If they decide on restricted suffrage, then they can pick and choose who votes for them, keeping them in office, which could result in a monarchical government. Henry felt that is was necessary to retain full suffrage rights to all citizens, as to make sure there is a fair election of government officials. He wanted to make sure this analysis of this comparison between the Virginian government and the newly formed U.S federal government was noted, as he was focused on the impeding steps taken against state