ÿþ<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" /> <title>Patriot Week - Founding Fathers and Patriots - Patrick Henry</title> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="css/main_layout.css"> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="images/logo.ico" type="image/x-icon" /> </head> <body> <div id="wrapper"> <div id="header"> <div id="logo"></div> </div> <div id="main"> <div id="top_bg"></div><!--/top_bg--> <div id="content_bg"> <div id="content"> <!-- Navigation -------------------------------> <div id="nav"> <div id="nav_item1"> <div id="dropDownWrapper" class="menu_text"> <div id="menuItem" onclick="location.href='index.html';"><a href="index.html">Home</a></div><!--/menuItem--> <div id="line"></div> <div id="menuItem" onclick="location.href='first-principles.html';"><a href="first-principles.html">First Principles</a></div><!--/menuItem--> <div id="line"></div> <div id="menuItemCurrentSub" onclick="location.href='founding-fathers-patriots.html';"><a href="founding-fathers-patriots.html">Founding Fathers/Patriots</a></div><!--/menuItem--> <div id="line"></div> <div id="menuItem" onclick="location.href='activities.html';"><a href="activities.html">Activities</a></div><!--/menuItem--> <div id="line"></div> <div id="menuItem" onclick="location.href='schedule.html';"><a href="schedule.html">Patriot Week Schedule</a></div><!--/menuItem--> <!--/menuItem--> <div id="redLine"></div> </div><!--/dropDownWrapper--> </div><!--/nav_item1--> <div id="nav_item2"> <div id="dropDownWrapper" class="menu_text"> <div id="menuItem" onclick="location.href='materials-resources.html';"><a href="materials-resources.html">Materials and Resources</a></div><!--/menuItem--> <div id="line"></div> <div id="menuItem" onclick="location.href='flags.html';"><a href="flags.html">Flags</a></div><!--/menuItem--> <div id="line"></div> <div id="menuItem" onclick="location.href='documents-speeches.html';"><a href="documents-speeches.html">Documents and Speeches</a></div><!--/menuItem--> <div id="line"></div> <div id="menuItem" onclick="location.href='original-constitution.html';"><a href="original-constitution.html">Original Constitution</a></div><!--/menuItem--> <div id="redLine"></div> </div><!--/dropDownWrapper--> </div><!--/nav_item2--> <div id="nav_item3"> <div id="dropDownWrapper" class="menu_text"> <div id="menuItem" onclick="location.href='2010-participants.html';"><a href="2010-participants.html">2010 Participants</a></div><!--/menuItem--> <div id="line"></div> <div id="menuItem" onclick="location.href='2009-participants.html';"><a href="2009-participants.html">2009 Participants</a></div><!--/menuItem--> <div id="line"></div> <div id="menuItem" onclick="location.href='organizing-committee.html';"><a href="board-of-directors.html">Board of Directors</a></div><!--/menuItem--> <div id="line"></div> <div id="menuItem" onclick="location.href='advisory-board.html';"><a href="advisory-board.html">Advisory Board</a></div><!--/menuItem--> <div id="line"></div> <div id="menuItem" onclick="location.href='about-judge-warren.html';"><a href="about-judge-warren.html">About Judge Michael Warren</a></div><!--/menuItem--> <div id="redLine"></div> </div><!--/dropDownWrapper--> </div><!--/nav_item3--> <div id="nav_item4"> <div id="dropDownWrapper" class="menu_text"> <div id="menuItem" onclick="location.href='media-clips.html';"><a href="media-clips.html">Media Clips</a></div><!--/menuItem--> <div id="line"></div> <div id="menuItem" onclick="location.href='movies.html';"><a href="movies.html">Movies</a></div><!--/menuItem--> <div id="line"></div> <div id="menuItem" onclick="location.href='michigan-senate-resolution.html';"><a href="michigan-senate-resolution.html">2009 Michigan Senate Resolution</a></div><!--/menuItem--> <div id="line"></div> <div id="menuItem" onclick="location.href='2010-michigan-senate-resolution.html';"><a href="2010-michigan-senate-resolution.html">2010 Michigan Senate Resolution</a></div><!--/menuItem--> <div id="line"></div> <div id="menuItem" onclick="location.href='2011-Michigan-Senate-Resolution.html';"><a href="2011-Michigan-Senate-Resolution.html">2011 Michigan Senate Resolution</a></div> <div id="line"></div> <div id="menuItem" onclick="location.href='2010-michigan-house-resolution.html';"><a href="2010-michigan-house-resolution.html">2010 Michigan House Resolution</a></div> <div id="line"></div> <div id="menuItem" onclick="location.href='2011-michigan-house-bill-4464.htm';"><a href="2011-michigan-house-bill-4464.htm">2011 Michigan House Bill 4464</a></div> <div id="line"></div> <div id="menuItem" onclick="location.href='2011-Michigan-Senate-Bill-282.html';"><a href="2011-Michigan-Senate-Bill-282.html">2011 Michigan Senate Bill 282</a></div> <div id="line"></div> <div id="menuItem" onclick="location.href='newspaper-articles.html';"><a href="newspaper-articles.html">Newspaper Articles</a></div> <div id="redLine"></div> </div><!--/dropDownWrapper--> </div><!--/nav_item4--> <div id="nav_item5" onclick="location.href='join-the-effort.html';"><a href="join-the-effort.html"></a></div><!--/nav_item5--> <div id="nav_item6" onclick="location.href='2011-public-events.html';"><a href="2011-public-events.html"></a></div><!--/nav_item6--> </div><!--/nav--> <!-- End Navigation -------------------------------> <div style="clear:both"></div> <div id="mastheadLine"></div><!--/masthead--> <div id="mainWrapper"> <div id="left_column"> <div id="title"><img src="images/title_patrick_henry.gif" width="467" height="61" alt="Patrick Henry" /></div> <div id="bodyBlock" class="body_text"> <strong class="quote">&ldquo;Give me liberty or give me death!&rdquo;</strong> <br /><br /> <hr /> <br /><br /> <strong class="subTitle">Voice of Liberty</strong> <br /><br /> Founding Father Patrick Henry helped define the cause of the American Revolution when he declared &ldquo;Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!&rdquo; <br /><br /> Born on May 29, 1736 in Hanover County, Virginia, Henry was a former storekeeper, turned lawyer and political leader. He led colonial resistance to British oppression as early as 1763. <br /><br /> On May 30, 1765, he commanded the world stage at the Virginia House of Burgesses. Accusing King George III of acting tyrannically, Henry exclaimed, &ldquo;Caesar had his Brutus, Charles the First his Cromwell, and George the Third . . .&rdquo; He was then interpreted by cries of &ldquo;Treason! Treason!&rdquo; Henry closed with &ldquo;George the Third may profit by their example. If this be treason, make the most of it.&rdquo; In response, Virginia enacted strong measures of resistance to the Stamp Act. <br /><br /> Thomas Jefferson gave Henry credit for setting &ldquo;the ball of the revolution&rdquo; in motion. On March 23, 1775, Henry solidified the cause of independence before the House of Burgesses. He exclaimed: <blockquote>If we wish to be free  if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending  if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have so long engaged... we must fight! It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter, Gentlemen may cry, Peace, peace  but there is no peace... Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but for me, give me liberty, or give me death!</blockquote> Henry also served as wartime Governor of Virginia. <br /><br /> Following the American Revolution Henry refused to attend the Constitutional Convention. As an Anti-Federalist, Henry became the new Constitution&#39;s most impressive opponent. <br /><br /> Although the Constitution was ratified over his objections, his opposition to the original Constitution - along with many others - led to the quick ratification of the Bill of Rights. <br /><br /> He died on June 6, 1799. </div> </div><!--/leftcolumn--> <div id="right_column"> <img src="images/patrick_henry.jpg" /> <div id="rightBodyBlock" class="disclaimer_text">Portrait by George Bagby Matthews, c. 1891.</div> <br /> <div id="rightBodyBlock" class="body_text"> <ul> <li class="no_bullet"><a href="founding-fathers-patriots.html">Founding Fathers and Patriots</a></li> <li>September 11: <a href="thomas-paine.html">Thomas Paine</a>, <a href="patrick-henry.html">Patrick Henry</a>, <a href="john-adams.html">John Adams</a></li> <li>September 12: <a href="john-marshall.html">John Marshall</a></li> <li>September 13: <a href="george-washington.html">George Washington</a></li> <li>September 14: <a href="elizabeth-cady-stanton.html">Elizabeth Cady Stanton</a>, <a href="susan-b-anthony.html">Susan B. Anthony</a></li> <li>September 15: <a href="abraham-lincoln.html">Abraham Lincoln</a>, <a href="frederick-douglass.html">Frederick Douglass</a>, <a href="martin-luther-king-jr.html">Martin Luther King Jr.</a></li> <li>September 16: <a href="thomas-jefferson.html">Thomas Jefferson</a></li> <li>September 17: <a href="james-madison.html">James Madison</a></li> </ul> </div> <br /><br /> <div id="rightBodyBlock" class="tagline_text"><b>Help Renew the Spirit of America.</b></div> <div id="cta" onclick="location.href='join-the-effort.html';"></div> <div id="facebook"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=119416264739170&ref=ts" target="_blank"><img src="images/facebook.jpg" alt="Find us on Facebook" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://twitter.com/PatriotWeek"><img src="http://www.twitterbuttons.com/upload/badges/afd40ba764twitterbutton-0106.gif" title="By: TwitterButtons.com" alt="By: TwitterButtons.com" width="195"/></a></div> </div><!--/rightColumn--> <div style="clear:both"></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="footer"> <div id="horiz_line"><img src="images/horiz_line.gif" width="900" height="1" align="absmiddle"/></div> <div id="footer_content" class="footer_text"> <b>About Patriot Week</b> <br />&#187; <a href="index.html">Home</a> <br />&#187; <a href="first-principles.html">First Principles</a> <br />&#187; <a href="founding-fathers-patriots.html">Founding Fathers/Patriots</a> <br />&#187; <a href="activities.html">Activities</a> <br />&#187; <a href="schedule.html">Patriot Week Schedule</a><br />&#187; <a href="2011-public-events.html">2011 Public Events</a> </div> <div id="vert_line"><img src="images/vert_line.gif" width="1" height="130" /></div> <div id="footer_content" class="footer_text"> <b>Patriot Week Resources</b> <br />&#187; <a href="materials-resources.html">Materials and Resources</a> <br />&#187; <a href="flags.html">Flags</a> <br />&#187; <a href="documents-speeches.html">Documents and Speeches</a> <br />&#187; <a href="original-constitution.html">Original Constitution</a> </div> <div id="vert_line"><img src="images/vert_line.gif" width="1" height="130" /></div> <div id="footer_content" class="footer_text"> <b>Participants & Organizers</b> <br />&#187; <a href="2010-participants.html">2010 Participants</a> <br />&#187; <a href="2009-participants.html">2009 Participants</a> <br />&#187; <a href="board-of-directors.html">Board of Directors</a><br />&#187; <a href="advisory-board.html">Advisory Board</a> <br />&#187; <a href="about-judge-warren.html">About Judge Warren</a> </div> <div id="vert_line"><img src="images/vert_line.gif" width="1" height="130" /></div> <div id="footer_content" class="footer_text"> <b>Media / News</b><br /> &#187; <a href="media-clips.html">Media Clips</a><br /> &#187; <a href="movies.html">Movies</a><br /> &#187; <a href="michigan-senate-resolution.html">2009 Michigan Senate Resolution</a><br /> &#187; <a href="2010-michigan-senate-resolution.html">2010 Michigan Senate Resolution</a><br /> &#187; <a href="2011-Michigan-Senate-Resolution.html">2011 Michigan Senate Resolution</a><br /> &#187; <a href="2010-michigan-house-resolution.html">2010 Michigan House Resolution</a><br /> &#187; <a href="2011-michigan-house-bill-4464.htm">2011 Michigan House Bill 4464</a><br /> &#187; <a href="2011-Michigan-Senate-Bill-282.html">2011 Michigan Senate Bill 282</a><br /> &#187; <a href="newspaper-articles.html">Newspaper Articles</a> </div> <div id="vert_line"><img src="images/vert_line.gif" width="1" height="130" /></div> <div id="footer_content" class="footer_text"> &#187; <b><a href="join-the-effort.html">Join the Effort</a></b> <br />&#187; <b><a href="contact-patriot-week.html">Contact Patriot Week</a></b> <br />&#187; <b><a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=119416264739170&ref=ts" target="_blank">Find Us on Facebook</a></b> </div> <div id="end_cap"> <div class="copyright">&#169; 2010 Patriot Week</div> </div> </div><!--/footer--> <div id="end_cap_bottom"></div> </div><!--/wrapper--> </body> </html>