Patrick Henry's Speech In The Virginia Convention, The Crisis, Number I.

'Give me liberty or give me death.' These famous words were uttered by Patrick Henry on March 23, 1775, as a conclusion to his speech delivered to the Virginia House of Burgesses. Within his speech, he uses the three rhetorical appeals (ethos, logos, and pathos) to convey a feeling of urgency toward the changes occurring in policy within the Americas implemented by the British government. He cleverly uses these appeals to disrupt the paradigm that Great Britain is going to let the American people have any liberty.

During the Revolutionary War, writers and orators publicly revealed their thoughts on how to respond to Britain’s further subjugation of the American colonies. After a futile hope for reconciliation and failed petitions to the British government, several patriots, such as Thomas Paine and Patrick Henry, called for the colonists to take up arms against the British. Through Paine’s Common Sense and Henry’s “Speech in the Virginia Convention”, they displayed an adamant message for the colonies to fight immediately. Both used the rhetorical elements of ethos, pathos, and logos within their respective works, and their various applications to the three elements allowed for their arguments to reach all ears and influence the majority of the population towards the fight for independence.

In “speech in the Virginia convention,” Patrick Henry convinces colonists to fight Britain through the use of four main rhetorical devices: Allusion, Rhetorical Questions, Figurative language, and Diction. Through Figurative language, he connects to the audience by expressing emotions and explaining the main problems with peace negotiations. Patrick Henry uses allusion in his speech by telling people what is appropriate. Patrick Henry used also Rhetorical Questions to tell people what is right and what is not. He also used diction as the power to explain a topic in a short sentence.

Writing to an audience that still lacks the desire to oppose the British, Patrick Henry in his "Speech to Virginia House of Burgesses" focuses on the rights of man and defying oppressors. Through figurative language, rhetorical questions, and diction, Henry heightens the necessity to rise up and fight against the British ruling power over the colonist population in Northern America.

March 23, 1775 a group of Virginian delegates gathered in St. John’s Church in Richmond to discuss the ever looming war with the English crown. It was in this Church where Patrick Henry would deliver one of the most influential speeches in the history of America. “Give me Liberty or Give Me Death” (3). He exclaimed to the sound of thunderous applause, he was trying to inspire a nation to rebel against their British oppressors. His speech was given two weeks before the revolution began and is accredited to inspiring the nation to take up arms and rebel. His appeals to emotion and logic make this a powerful and inspiring speech.

Henry also uses a rhetorical question to persuade his audience. His words, “Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication?”, reminds his audience of the possible consequences that may result from refraining from fighting. As those at the Virginia Convention may listen to this, they may have reflected on this question, allowing Henry’s point to be more effective. Henry’s reflective words on the consequences of not getting help pushes forward his claim that Americans need to fight if they want to maintain their

The “Speech in the Virginia Convention” by Patrick Henry was written and spoken to tell colonists the war with Britain was already under way. This discourse pointed out Britain had already begun preparation by sending troops and navy ships to the colonies. Henry used rhetorical devices like, pathos and tone, to get his point across and to show the colonists they have to defend their rights.

Oration is one of the most ancient art forms in the world and can be used to instigate wars, ally countries, and fight for one’s personal beliefs. “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” by Patrick Henry and “To the Massachusetts Convention” by Jonathan Smith are two of the strongest orations of the 18th century. While they are in many ways similar, they are also vastly different. Although they both begin with the exact same address of, “Mr. President,” they have many more differences, including contexts, purposes, and rhetorical strategies. They are also given by two men who share virtually nothing in common. Patrick Henry and Jonathan Smith both use rhetorical strategy to address the president of their time, George Washington; however, the two speeches that develop from those initial phrases convey completely different ideals and spur dissimilar outcomes.

“I am not a Virginian. But I am an American!” (Henry 104). Besides being an American, Patrick Henry was a representative for Virginia during 1775 and attended the Virginia Convention. At this time Britain and the colonies were at the brink of war. Britain controlled the colonists from taxing them on unreasonable products, such as paper and sugar, to sending troops and armies to the colonies for no reason. The colonists tried to avoid war with Britain, they had written out “requests” hoping this document would help the countries come together to a peaceful agreement. Patrick Henry uses pathos in his “Speech to Virginia Convention” to persuade fellow delegates to form a militia and rebel against the British. While giving his speech, Henry had

Patrick Henry builds his argument with the use of rhetorical structure. Henry presents a speech to his fellow congressmen using rhetorical questions to help convince the assembled leadership to prepare for war with the British. He starts out by saying he is just as patriotic as any other man and how he respects the country “MR. PRESIDENT: No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities,

In the “Speech in the Virginia Convention” by Patrick Henry, Henry urges the British colonists to fight for their independence. Although it was very unlikely that the colonists would win, this speech motivated the colonists to fight with all of their strength. Arguably, Patrick Henry’s speech had a monumental impact on the moral of the colonists, leading them to a victory. If Henry’s speech did not inspire the colonists, they may not have gained their freedom and Henry could have been convicted of treason. In the “Speech in the Virginia Convention” by Patrick Henry, Henry uses imagery and conveys a sense of fear to the colonists in order to inspire them to fight for their independence.

In the “Speech in the Virginia Convention” spoken by Patrick Henry, rhetorical questions are a very important and effective way of getting his point across to the parliament. The goal of his speech was to persuade the parliament to declare war for independence by using these questions. Henry indirectly emphasized the need to go to war with Britain by evoking strong emotion in his audience by asking, “Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation?” (lines 29-31, page 232). Since armies and fleets are not needed to restore a friendly relationship, this shows that Britain was ready for war and the United States should be too. Using a rhetorical question emphasized Henry's point that Britain is ruining the trust between the

In his famous speech given at the Virginia Convention in 1775, politician and Virginia lawyer, Patrick Henry, addresses the men of the Virginia Assembly about the inevitable war against British “tyranny.” Henry attempts to demonstrate his idea that war with Britain is the only option as well as persuade these men to join him in this fight for National Independence. Henry combines the elements of a gradual shift in tone and rhetorical devices in order to appeal to the members of the Virginia Convention.

Patrick Henry “ Give me Liberty or Give me Death.” In the 1760’s Patrick Henry presented “The Speech of The Virgina Convention.” The speech was about going to war with the British so they could have independence. In that period of time people were interested in religon, war, freedom, expansion. The people stuggled with family members dying in war, having materials and supplies for war.

In Patrick Henry’s “Speech of the Virginia Convention”, he tries to persuade colonists to fight a war against the English. When Patrick Henry delivered his speech, it was a time of rebellion He did this speech to tell the people, there is no other option, but to go to war. To persuade the people, he must use several main rhetorical devices. For example, he uses these rhetorical devices, to appeal to the people: ethos, pathos, and parallelism. He does a good job throughout this speech convincing people to go to war. One quote that ties the whole speech together is, “Give me liberty, or give me death.” In this quote, Henry says that he would rather die, than live in a world, with no freedom.