Comparing Patrick Henry's Speech To The Second Virginia Convention

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America faces a period of massive change in 1775. At this time, tensions and feelings of resentment are running high with the American people. Nothing represents this better than Patrick Henry’s speech to the Second Virginia Convention. Patrick Henry addressed the Second Continental congress and tells the people that the only way to gain victory over the British is to fight a war against them. Henry uses fiery language to incite the american people to take up arms against the british. By using this fiery language, Henry’s statements lean towards demagoguery because his choice of words were carefully selected to rile up the emotions of the people. A demagogue uses his words to play to the passions of the people, and this is exactly what Patrick Henry does in this speech. Patrick Henry's demagoguery makes itself known from the second paragraph of the speech. Towards the end of the second paragraph says "Should I keep back my opinions at such a time... I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country....". Henry implies that people who do not speak their opinions about the current events of the time were somehow betraying all the colonies. By condemning people who wish to stay moderate or neutral within this conflict, Patrick …show more content…

Patrick Henry’s statements resonates with the colonists because it adequately captures their grievances and feelings against the British, who have made their lives exceedingly difficult. Unlike many Demagogues who use their words to gain personal power or control, Patrick Henry uses his words to rally the colonists towards a good common cause that ultimately leads to the creation of the strongest nation in the world. The power, conviction and language of Henry’s speech lead to a revolution that would go n to change the course of

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