Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry Argues Against Imaginary Dangers
On June 9, 1788, Patrick Henry delivered a speech at the Virginia Ratifying Convention arguing that many of the alleged crises of the time used to justify the proposed constitution were “imaginary.” This was actually the fourth long speech Henry delivered during the...
Patrick Henry Demands a Bill of Rights
On June 7, 1788, Patrick Henry delivered one of many long speeches at the Virginia Ratifying Convention, warning about giving up too much power, and demanding the inclusion of a Bill of Rights in the proposed U.S. Constitution before its adoption. The convention ran...
The Midnight Ride of Jack Jouett that Saved Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry
Listen, my children, and you shall hear of the midnight ride of — Jack Jouett? Jouett’s mission, like that of his more famous fellow horseman, was to warn American patriots of the approaching attack by British regulars. While most people have heard of Paul Revere and...
Today in History: Patrick Henry’s Give Me Liberty Speech
Today in history, on March 23, 1775, tensions in Virginia were at their highest point during the imperial crisis with Britain. The House of Burgesses, the state’s elected assembly, was about to make a bold decision – to commit its militia to the cause of independence....