The gripping speech was given without notes and there was no contemporary transcription, but the men in that room never forgot those last words that stirred the crowd to action.

With no other speakers to challenge Henry, the delegates were tipped in favor of preparing a Virginia militia in case of armed conflict. His impassioned words and booming voice left the room in silence after the orator took his seat. Many attendants gave compelling speeches, but it was the words of prominent lawyer Patrick Henry that cemented the day in history: “Give me liberty or give me death!” At a time when many were not convinced that armed conflict would be necessary, Henry argued that preparing with a militia was not only important, but past due. Individuals such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, in addition to several other eventual signers of the Declaration of Independence, spent the day listening to the arguments for and against raising militia in the Virginia counties. John’s Church in Richmond to discuss whether or not to prepare defensive actions against their king’s forces. On March 23, 1775, at the Second Virginia Congress, many influential men sat in St. Without notes or prepared words, the impassioned Henry declared his dedication to the cause and set the standard for patriotic devotion to America that bolstered the impending revolution. Patrick Henry proclaimed his commitment to the Revolutionary cause to a crowded room of Virginians debating whether or not to raise militia in each county. “I know not what course others may take, but for me - Give me liberty or give me death!” These words still echo throughout America’s history as a defiant call to action against the world’s most powerful empire. Read more about his influence on the American Revolution in this week’s blog! “Give me liberty or give me death!” These famous words were spoken 245 years ago by Patrick Henry. Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death! The Famous Words of Patrick Henry

Give me liberty of give me death