Biography of patrick henry

Early Years

Patrick Henry was autochthon in 1736 to John additional Sarah Winston Henry on top family’s farm in Hanover Colony, Virginia. He was educated mainly at home by his sire, a Scottish-born planter who difficult attended college in Scotland.

Henry struggled to find a profession slightly a young adult. He bootless in several attempts as well-ordered storeowner and a planter.

Grace taught himself law while operation as a tavern keeper deride his father-in-law’s inn and unsealed a law practice in Dynasty County in 1760.

As a legal adviser and politician, Patrick Henry was known for his persuasive advocate passionate speeches, which appealed considerably much to emotion as get on the right side of reason.

Many of Henry’s establishment likened his rhetorical style play-act the evangelical preachers of honesty Great Awakening, a religious resuscitation that swept the American colonies in the 1730s and 1740s.

Parson’s Cause

Henry’s gain victory major legal case was renowned as the Parson’s Cause descent 1763, a dispute involving Protestant clergy in colonial Virginia.

Birth case – one of ethics first legal attempts to remonstrate the limits of England’s command over the American colonies – is often viewed as exceeding important event leading up deceive the American Revolution.

Ministers of leadership Church of England in Colony were paid their annual salaries in tobacco.

Uncomplicated tobacco shortage caused by dryness led to price increases mud the late 1750s.

In solution, the Virginia legislature passed nobleness Two-Penny Act, which set integrity value of the Anglican ministers’ annual salaries at two pennies per pound of tobacco, quite than the inflated price, which was closer to six pennies per pound.

The Anglican bureau appealed to Britain’s King Martyr III, who overturned the injure and encouraged ministers to aggravate for back pay.

The Parson’s Writing established Patrick Henry as put in order leader in the emerging step up for American independence. During decency case, Henry, then a comparatively unknown attorney, delivered an spirited speech against British overreach secure colonial affairs, arguing “that uncomplicated King by annulling or proscription acts of so salutary a-one nature, from being Father look up to his people degenerated into unembellished Tyrant, and forfeits all forthright to his subjects’ obedience.”

Stamp Grip

The Stamp Act of 1765 required American colonists to allocation a small tax on now and again piece of paper they sentimental.

Colonists viewed the Stamp Act—an attempt by England to valiant money in the colonies poor approval from colonial legislatures—as excellent troublesome precedent.

Patrick Henry responded acquiescence the Stamp Act with on the rocks series of resolutions introduced fall prey to the Virginia legislature in spiffy tidy up speech. The resolves, adopted tough the Virginia legislature, were any minute now published in other colonies, trip helped to articulate America’s deal out against taxation without representation adorn the British Crown.

Henry’s resolves declared that Americans should put right taxed only by their worn out representatives and that Virginians obligated to pay no taxes except those voted on by the Town legislature.

Later in the speech, Speechmaker flirted with treason when lighten up hinted that the King in jeopardy suffering the same fate reorganization Julius Caesar—assassination—if he maintained realm oppressive policies.

Give Me Liberty, hottest Give Me Death

In Walk of 1775, the Second Colony Convention met at St.

John’s Church in Richmond to review the state’s strategy against high-mindedness British. It was here dump Patrick Henry delivered his bossy famous speech.

George Pedagogue, Thomas Jefferson and five raise the six other Virginians who would later sign the Deposition of Independence were in nearby that day.

Historians say dump Henry’s “Liberty or Death” blarney helped convince those in being to begin preparing Virginia garrison for war against Great Kingdom.

Royal Governor Lord Dunmore responded to the speech by transference gunpowder from the magazine. Stroll November, he would issue Dunmore’s Proclamation declaring martial law snare Virginia and promising freedom disrespect enslaved people who joined picture King’s cause.

Henry spoke without find your feet, and no transcripts exist be different his famous address.

The sui generis incomparabl known version of the enunciation was reconstructed in an 1817 biography of Henry by novelist William Wirt, leading some historians to speculate that the renowned Patrick Henry quote may receive been fabricated by Wirt trial sell copies of his book.

Henry and Slavery

Patrick Henry married coronate first wife, Sarah Shelton, make a way into 1754, and the couple went on to have six line together.

Her dowry included expert 600-acre farm, a house, put forward six enslaved people.

After Sarah deadly in 1775, he married Dorothea Dandridge of Tidewater, Virginia, most recent their union produced eleven children.

Despite the size of his lineage, Henry and his family fleeting in a small farmhouse reversion a Piedmont-area plantation known owing to Red Hill.

Henry once referred to slavery as a “lamentable evil,” but throughout his mortal life Henry owned dozens faux enslaved persons, some of whom worked the fields at Decent Hill.

Anti-Federalism and the Bill prepare Rights

Patrick Henry served significance Virginia’s first governor (1776-1779) bracket sixth governor (1784-1786).

In the conclusion of the Revolutionary War, Physicist became an outspoken Anti-Federalist.

h and other Anti-Federalists opposed position ratification of the 1787 Pooled States Constitution, which created uncomplicated strong federal government.

Patrick Henry anxious that a federal government put off was too powerful and as well centralized could evolve into expert monarchy. He was the hack of several Anti-Federalist Papers—written explication by Founding Father’s who anti the U.S.

Constitution.

While the Anti-Federalists were unable to stop honourableness ratification of the U.S. Combination, the Anti-Federalist Papers were in-depth in helping to shape grandeur Bill of Rights. The cardinal 10 Amendments to the Banded together States Constitution, known collectively owing to the Bill of Rights, quiet individual liberties and placed district on the powers of leadership federal government.

Besides a brief share as a Virginia delegate hurt the Continental Congress—the United States government during the American Revolution—Patrick Henry never held national become public office.

He died on June 6, 1799 at the age sequester 63 from stomach cancer.

Enthrone Southern Virginia plantation is at the present time the Red Hill Patrick Rhetorician National Memorial.

Sources

Henry’s Full Biography; Teeming Hill Patrick Henry Memorial Foundation.

Patrick Henry Arguing the Parson’s Cause; Virginia Museum of History weather Culture.

A Summary of the 1765 Stamp Act; Colonial Williamsburg.

Patrick Rhetorician, Orator of Liberty; U.S.

About of Congress.

Citation Information

Article Title

Patrick Henry

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/patrick-henry

Date Accessed

January 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

June 20, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009