Patrick Henry
| Patrick Henry | |
|---|---|
| Portrait of Patrick Henry | |
| Born | May 29, 1736; Hanover County, Colony of Virginia, British America |
| Died | June 6, 1799 (aged 63); Red Hill, Charlotte County, Virginia, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Political affiliation | Patriot; Anti-Federalist (later supported the Bill of Rights) |
| Spouse | Sarah Shelton (m. 1754–1775); Dorothea Dandridge (m. 1777–1799) |
| Children | 17 (from two marriages) |
| Occupation(s) | Lawyer, planter, orator, statesman |
| Major offices | Delegate, Continental Congress (1774–1775) Governor of Virginia (1776–1779; 1784–1786) |
| Known for | “Give me liberty, or give me death!” (1775); Virginia Stamp Act Resolves (1765); defense of individual liberties and state autonomy |
Patrick Henry (May 29, 1736 – June 6, 1799) was an American lawyer, orator, and statesman, a driving voice of the Patriot cause in Virginia. Famous for his 1775 cry, “Give me liberty, or give me death!”, he helped mobilize resistance to British authority, guided Virginia through independence, and later emerged as a leading critic of centralized federal power.
Early Life and Legal Career
Born in Hanover County, Virginia, Henry grew up in a modest planter-merchant family. After early ventures in trade and farming, he read law and was admitted to the bar in 1760. His courtroom eloquence—especially in the Parson’s Cause (1763), challenging royal interference in colonial legislation—made him a public figure.
Revolutionary Leadership
In 1765, as a new member of the House of Burgesses, Henry introduced the bold Virginia Stamp Act Resolves, asserting that Virginians alone could tax Virginians. He became a principal organizer of colonial protest, advocating vigilance and militia preparedness. His March 1775 speech at St. John’s Church in Richmond climaxed with the call for liberty that electrified the colony.
Independence and War
Henry served in the Continental Congress and, after Virginia adopted a new constitution in 1776, became the state’s first Governor (1776–1779). He prioritized defense, supply, and mobilization, supporting George Rogers Clark’s western expeditions and coordinating with Continental authorities. Returning to private life, he remained a legislative force and was again governor from 1784 to 1786.
Constitution and Civil Liberties
Suspicious of consolidated power, Henry opposed the 1787 federal Constitution as lacking explicit safeguards. His powerful speeches at the Virginia ratifying convention helped spur the promise—and eventual adoption—of a federal Bill of Rights. Though often labeled an Anti-Federalist, Henry later supported the national government in practice and declined federal offices offered by George Washington and John Adams.
Later Years and Legacy
Henry resumed law and plantation management at Red Hill. He died in 1799. Remembered as the Revolution’s most stirring orator, he fused natural-rights philosophy with practical politics, shaping American ideas of liberty, militia citizenship, and constitutional limits on power.