Patrick Henry

Patrick Henry
Born	Patrick Henry May 29, 1736
Birthplace	Hanover County, Virginia, British America
Died	June 6, 1799 Red Hill, Charlotte County, Virginia, United States
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, orator, planter, lawyer
Title	1st and 6th Governor of Virginia
Known for	"Give me liberty, or give me death!" speech; opposition to the Constitution without a Bill of Rights; first and sixth post-colonial Governor of Virginia
Awards	Namesake of numerous counties, cities, and institutions across the United States

Patrick Henry (May 29, 1736 – June 6, 1799) was an American politician, planter, orator, and attorney who rose from modest beginnings in colonial Virginia to become one of the central figures of the American Revolution. He is best remembered for his declaration to the Second Virginia Convention in 1775 — "Give me liberty, or give me death!" — a phrase that became a rallying cry for the independence movement. A Founding Father of the United States, Henry served as the first and sixth post-colonial Governor of Virginia, holding office from 1776 to 1779 and again from 1784 to 1786. His career encompassed service in the Virginia House of Burgesses, the Continental Congress, and the Virginia House of Delegates. A formidable opponent of the proposed United States Constitution, Henry fought against ratification on the grounds that it concentrated too much power in a central government and lacked a bill of rights — a position that contributed to the eventual adoption of the first ten amendments. A slaveholder throughout his adult life, Henry expressed a desire to see the institution end but offered no practical plan for abolition beyond ceasing the importation of enslaved people. His legacy rests primarily on his oratory and his role as an early and enthusiastic advocate for American independence.

Early Life

Patrick Henry was born on May 29, 1736, in Hanover County, Virginia, in the colony of British America. He was raised in a region of the Virginia Piedmont that, while not part of the wealthier Tidewater planter aristocracy, was home to a community of middling farmers and landholders. Henry was primarily educated at home, receiving instruction from his father and, by some accounts, from local tutors. He did not attend a formal school or college, a fact that distinguished him from many of his contemporaries among the Virginia gentry.

As a young man, Henry demonstrated little early inclination toward the career in law and politics that would later define his life. At the age of fifteen, he attempted to run a country store, a venture that ended in failure. He then assisted his father-in-law at Hanover Tavern, an establishment that served as a gathering place for travelers and local residents and exposed Henry to the social and political currents of colonial Virginia. The experience at the tavern, while not financially transformative, gave Henry an opportunity to observe the rhythms of public life and to develop the conversational skills that would later serve him in the courtroom and in political assemblies.

Finding himself without a settled profession, Henry turned to the study of law. He was largely self-taught, reportedly reading major legal texts including the commentaries of Sir Edward Coke over a relatively brief period. He obtained his license to practice law and began his legal career around 1760. His entry into the profession was modest, but he quickly demonstrated a talent for persuasive argumentation that set him apart from more conventionally trained attorneys.

Career

Early Legal Career and the Parson's Cause

Patrick Henry's rise to prominence began with the celebrated legal case known as the Parson's Cause in 1763. The dispute arose from a Virginia law that allowed colonial planters to pay their debts to Anglican clergymen in depreciated currency rather than in tobacco, as had been the custom. When the British Crown disallowed the Virginia statute, the clergy sued to recover the difference in value. Henry represented the defense in one such case, arguing before a jury in Hanover County.

Henry's argument went beyond the narrow legal question at hand. He challenged the authority of the Crown to override the legislative decisions of the Virginia colony, framing the issue as one of local self-governance versus imperial overreach. His rhetoric electrified the courtroom and resonated with the broader colonial population, which was growing increasingly resentful of British interference in local affairs. The jury returned a verdict of only one penny in damages for the plaintiff, a result that was widely interpreted as a repudiation of royal authority. The case established Henry's reputation as one of the most effective trial lawyers in Virginia and as a figure willing to challenge established authority.

Virginia House of Burgesses and Opposition to the Stamp Act

Henry's legal success propelled him into politics. He was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses, the lower chamber of the colonial legislature, where he quickly made a name for himself through his opposition to the Stamp Act of 1765. The Stamp Act, imposed by the British Parliament, required colonists to purchase specially stamped paper for legal documents, newspapers, and other printed materials. It was among the first direct taxes levied on the American colonies by Parliament and provoked widespread resistance.

In the House of Burgesses, Henry introduced a series of resolutions denouncing the Stamp Act and asserting that only the Virginia legislature had the right to tax Virginians. His speech in support of the resolutions became legendary; according to later accounts, he invoked the examples of tyrants overthrown in the past, prompting some members of the assembly to accuse him of treason. Henry reportedly responded that if his words amounted to treason, others should make the most of it. The Virginia Resolves, as they came to be known, were circulated throughout the colonies and helped galvanize opposition to the Stamp Act across British America. Henry emerged from the episode as one of the most vocal and visible critics of British colonial policy.

Continental Congress and Revolutionary Activity

By 1774, the conflict between the American colonies and Great Britain had deepened considerably. Henry was selected as a delegate from Virginia to the First Continental Congress, which convened in Philadelphia in September 1774. At the Congress, he participated in drafting and signed the Petition to the King, a document that sought to express colonial grievances while still professing loyalty to the Crown. He also signed the Continental Association, an agreement among the colonies to impose a boycott on British goods as a means of pressuring Parliament to repeal its objectionable legislation.

Henry's role at the Continental Congress reflected his growing conviction that the colonies needed to act collectively in their resistance to British authority. His oratory at the Congress impressed delegates from other colonies and helped to strengthen inter-colonial solidarity. Among the Virginia delegation, Henry was considered one of the more radical voices, openly contemplating the possibility of independence at a time when many colonists still hoped for reconciliation.

"Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Death!"

The event for which Patrick Henry is most remembered occurred on March 23, 1775, at the Second Virginia Convention, held at St. John's Church in Richmond. With the prospect of armed conflict between the colonies and Great Britain growing ever more likely, Henry introduced a resolution calling for the colony of Virginia to adopt a posture of defense, including the organization of a militia. In his speech supporting the resolution, Henry delivered the words that would become synonymous with the American independence movement: "Give me liberty, or give me death!"

The speech, as reconstructed from the recollections of those present, argued that peaceful means of resolving the dispute with Britain had been exhausted and that armed resistance was the only remaining option. Henry appealed to his audience's sense of honor and their desire for freedom, characterizing submission to British authority as a form of slavery. The resolution passed, and Henry was appointed to the committee charged with organizing Virginia's defenses.

Shortly after the convention, the royal governor of Virginia, Lord Dunmore, ordered the seizure of gunpowder stored at the magazine in Williamsburg — an event known as the Gunpowder Incident. Henry responded by marching a body of militia troops toward the colonial capital, demanding that the seized munitions be paid for. The confrontation ended without bloodshed when the royal government agreed to compensate the colony for the gunpowder, but the incident further increased Henry's popularity among Virginians and demonstrated his willingness to back his rhetoric with action.

Governor of Virginia

With the movement toward independence accelerating, the Fifth Virginia Convention met in 1776 and endorsed a formal break with Great Britain. Henry served on the committee charged with drafting two foundational documents: the Virginia Declaration of Rights and the original Virginia Constitution. The Virginia Declaration of Rights, principally authored by George Mason, would later influence the United States Bill of Rights and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.

Following the adoption of the new constitution, Patrick Henry was elected as the first post-colonial Governor of Virginia. He assumed office on July 5, 1776, succeeding Edmund Pendleton, who had served in an acting capacity. Henry served three consecutive one-year terms as governor, holding the office until June 1, 1779, when he was succeeded by Thomas Jefferson.

As wartime governor, Henry was responsible for managing Virginia's contribution to the Continental Army and for maintaining order within the state during a period of considerable upheaval. His powers as governor were limited by the new constitution, which vested significant authority in the legislature. Nevertheless, Henry worked to ensure that Virginia remained an active participant in the war effort.

After a period of service in the Virginia House of Delegates following his first stint as governor, Henry was again elected to the office in 1784, succeeding Benjamin Harrison V. He served two additional one-year terms, from December 1, 1784, to December 1, 1786, after which he was succeeded by Edmund Randolph. During this second period as governor, Henry continued to address the challenges of post-war governance, including issues related to state finances, western land claims, and relations with Native American nations on the frontier.

Opposition to the Constitution

The period following the end of the American Revolution was marked by growing dissatisfaction with the Articles of Confederation, the framework of government that had governed the newly independent states during and after the war. In 1787, a convention was called in Philadelphia to revise the Articles. Henry declined appointment as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, reportedly stating that he "smelt a rat in Philadelphia, tending toward the monarchy."

When the proposed Constitution was submitted to the states for ratification, Henry became one of its most vocal opponents. At the Virginia Ratifying Convention in 1788, he delivered a series of lengthy and impassioned speeches against the document. His objections centered on two primary concerns: the concentration of power in a central government at the expense of state sovereignty, and the absence of a bill of rights to protect individual liberties. Henry argued that the Constitution as drafted would create a government capable of tyranny and that the rights of the people needed to be explicitly enumerated and protected.

Despite Henry's opposition, the Virginia convention ultimately voted to ratify the Constitution. However, his advocacy for a bill of rights contributed to the broader movement that led to the adoption of the first ten amendments to the Constitution in 1791. In this respect, Henry's opposition to the original document had a lasting impact on the structure of the American government.

Later Years and Return to Law

Following the ratification of the Constitution, Henry largely withdrew from public life and returned to the practice of law. He declined a number of appointments and offices under the new federal government, including offers to serve as a United States Senator, as Secretary of State, as Minister to Spain, and as Chief Justice of the United States. He also declined an appointment as Minister to France.

In his later years, Henry's political views shifted somewhat, and he aligned more closely with the Federalist Party of George Washington and John Adams, in part because of his opposition to the policies of the Democratic-Republican Party led by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Washington persuaded Henry to run for the Virginia House of Delegates in 1799, which he won, but Henry did not live to take his seat.

Henry spent his final years at his plantation, Red Hill, in Charlotte County, Virginia. He continued to practice law on occasion and maintained a large estate. He died on June 6, 1799, at the age of sixty-three.

Personal Life

Patrick Henry married Sarah Shelton in 1754. The couple had six children together. Sarah Henry suffered from mental illness in the later years of her life and died in 1775. Following her death, Henry married Dorothea Dandridge in 1777, with whom he had an additional eleven children. In total, Henry fathered seventeen children across his two marriages.

Henry was a slaveholder throughout his adult life. He expressed ambivalence about the institution of slavery, acknowledging it as morally indefensible while continuing to participate in it. In correspondence, he described slavery as a practice "repugnant to humanity" and inconsistent with the principles of the Revolution, yet he offered no concrete plan for abolition beyond supporting an end to the importation of enslaved people from abroad. This tension between his stated principles and his personal conduct has been a subject of historical scrutiny.

Henry's primary residences included Scotchtown, a plantation in Hanover County that is now maintained as a historic site, and Red Hill in Charlotte County, where he spent his final years and where he is buried. Red Hill has been preserved as the Patrick Henry National Memorial.

Recognition

Patrick Henry's contributions to American independence and constitutional government have been recognized through numerous memorials, place names, and honors. Several counties across the United States bear his name, including Patrick County, Virginia, and Henry County, Virginia, as well as counties in other states. Fort Patrick Henry, a dam and reservoir on the South Fork of the Holston River in Tennessee, is named in his honor. The Patrick Henry Airport in Virginia also bears his name.

Numerous schools across the United States have been named after Henry, reflecting his enduring status in American public memory. The Daughters of the American Revolution maintain the Patrick Henry Monument at his birthplace in Hanover County, Virginia.

Henry has appeared on United States postage stamps, further attesting to his place in the national commemorative tradition. Several of his homes and associated properties have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places or recognized as National Historic Landmarks.

Legacy

Patrick Henry's legacy is defined primarily by his role as an orator and agitator for American independence. His "Give me liberty, or give me death!" speech remains one of the most frequently quoted statements in American political history, and it has been invoked by generations of political figures, activists, and commentators seeking to associate their causes with the ideals of the American Revolution. While the exact text of the speech was reconstructed after the fact — most notably by William Wirt in his 1817 biography of Henry — its central themes of resistance to tyranny and the defense of individual liberty have become deeply embedded in American political culture.

Henry's opposition to the ratification of the Constitution without a bill of rights is considered a significant contribution to the development of American constitutional law. Although he lost the immediate battle over ratification, his insistence on explicit protections for individual rights was vindicated by the adoption of the Bill of Rights in 1791. In this sense, Henry's Anti-Federalist stance helped to shape the constitutional framework that has governed the United States for more than two centuries.

As a wartime and post-war governor of Virginia, Henry helped to steer the largest and most populous American state through the Revolution and its aftermath. His five terms as governor, while constrained by the limited executive powers provided by the Virginia Constitution, demonstrated his ability to navigate the complex politics of the new republic.

Henry's historical reputation has also been shaped by the contradictions inherent in his life and career. His advocacy for liberty and self-governance coexisted with his ownership of enslaved people — a contradiction that he acknowledged but did not resolve. Historians have grappled with this tension, viewing it as emblematic of the broader paradox of the American founding, in which the ideals of freedom and equality were articulated by men who participated in and benefited from the institution of slavery.

Red Hill, Henry's final home and burial place, continues to operate as a museum and memorial, preserving his personal effects and interpreting his life for visitors. Scotchtown, his earlier plantation home, is similarly maintained as a historic site. Together, these properties ensure that Henry's life and career remain accessible to the public and subject to ongoing historical study and interpretation.