Patrick Henry's Speech Summary

“Give me liberty or give me death!” Patrick Henry said this famous line in front of the Convention, which was held in what is now Richmond, Virginia. This speech was a call to war and basically said that they should not trust the British. This is important because it was the first time that anything was said about independence from Britain. During this speech, he makes valid points as to why they should go to war against them. These reasons include that Patrick Henry and the other colonists had no other options but to go to war, that England was preparing for war but claimed they wanted peace, and that the colonist’s tactics for getting their rights back are not working. Ultimately, Patrick Henry makes very intelligent remarks as to why they

should go to war with England.
The first reason that Henry delivers at the Convention as why they should go to war with the British is that him and the other colonists do not have much hope. Their only options at this point in the situation are either to give up and surrender to England or to fight back. According to Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death Speech” he claims, “If we wish to be free — if we intend to keep safe those precious privileges for which we have fought so long — if we intend not to dishonorably abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our struggle shall be obtained — we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight!” Henry makes it clear that the only way for them to be free from Britain’s control and to get back the rights they once had is to confront Britain and attack them.
Another reason why Henry said they should go to war against Britain that he conveys in his speech is that England was preparing for war while also making it seem like they wanted to reconcile with the colonists. Also in his speech, he says, “I ask gentlemen, sir, what means this military display, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can you gentlemen find any other possible reason for it? Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to make necessary all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us: they can be meant for no other.” He is explaining that England has no other enemies in that area, so why else would they be setting up navies and armies? He says that the colonists are too trusting towards England and should not be fooled by their trickery.
The last reason that Henry brings in his speech as to why they should go to war against England is because their tactics were not effective.

All these years, the colonists have been boycotting, protesting, and arguing and it has never worked out for them. He says the only way for them to have any effect on how England treats them is for the colonists to go to war against them. In his speech he says, “Sir, we have done everything that could be done to prevent the storm which is now coming. We have petitioned, we have argued, we have supplicated. We have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored the king to stop the tyrannical hands of the British ministry and Parliament. Our petitions have been ignored, our protests have produced additional violence and insult; our requests have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, disrespectfully, from the foot of the throne!” What he is trying to say is that they have done everything they could to prevent the British from controlling them and it hasn’t worked, so why does that mean it will work now? He thinks the only way that the British will give them their rights back is if they go to

war.
While some people may think that Patrick Henry’s claim about going to war was valid, others think differently.

Others think that by fighting with England, the colonists would be causing unnecessary violence because they have the option of making up with the British. In the speech it states, “They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to win against so powerful an opponent” This is saying that the colonists are unable to defeat such a powerful opponent like the British, that they should back down from fighting and reconcile with the British because they are too powerful to be enemies with. While this may be true, it is disregarding the fact that they will never truly be independent if they don’t go against England. They will always be stuck under Britain’s control and will have no freedom of their own. Also in the speech, it says, “Besides, sir, we have no choice. Even if we were cowardly enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. If we retreat there will only be submission and slavery! Our chains have been made! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable — and let it come!” Clearly, even if the colonists were acting cowardly, they should still let the war come and fight because if they don’t they will always be stuck under England’s control like

slaves.
As demonstrated, Patrick Henry’s claim on going to war with England is valid because him and the other colonists had no other options, that England was preparing for war when they made it seem like they wanted to make up, and their tactics weren’t and never would be of any use. If the colonists had never gone to war with England, the Revolutionary War never would have happened, and we would not have been considered Americans, but British people. We would still be under their control and would not be independent. So, therefore, Patrick Henry’s wanting to go to war with England was very reasonable and very clever of him to come up with.