Because I was able to present a portion of his famous speech at the Walk Through the American Revolution, fifth grade, I chose Patrick Henry as my essay. It was here that Patrick Henry’s angry voice was shown. This indicated that he was an opinionated man and would have lived a full life. I therefore chose him to be my Alter Ego project. Patrick Henry was a strong, assertive young man who valued liberty and freedom to an almost extreme extent. He lived in Hanover County, Virginia and learned wilderness skills. He also embraced independence from any societal restrictions. He and his brother started a store but it failed within a year. He married Sarah Shelton, 16 years old, and started farming. After his farming failed, he attempted to open another store to help his family. His family would rapidly grow throughout his life. There were two wives, Sarah Shelton & Dorothea Dandridge. Seventeen children and seventyseven grandchildren. His previous failed attempt at opening a store was repeated. He decided to go into law and passed his exams. He became a lawyer in 1760. After his first case, The Parson’s Cause (which was his stepping stone to his future as a lawyer and advocate for the people’s rights), he became a well-known speaker and expert in law.
Patrick Henry was not widely known, but his life had many memorable moments that were both important for him and America. Henry gained fame quickly after the Parson’s Case case. He also developed a reputation as a master orator. He was awarded a seat at the Virginia House of Burgesses two years after his historic win for Parson’s cause. This was the Virginian legislative prior to the Revolution. He delivered one of his most memorable speeches there, where he proposed resolutions against Stamp Act. Henry declared on May 29th 1765 that Charles the First, Charles the Second, and George The Third… could benefit from their example. Henry said that this was treason. Other House members protested, saying that Henry’s words were treachery towards the crown. Henry was the American who introduced the concept of total liberty. It was something that many thought impossible prior to the Revolution. The colonies were given copies of his controversial statements. The new American mentality was so powerful that it led to the rise of Patriots who fought for the very same proposition they had just months before. His character, often described as an enemy of tyranny by many, led to him being elected as a Continental Congress delegate in 1774. His persuasive arguments against British rule make it very probable that he played a key role in convincing Americans to support the Revolution. Unfortunately, Henry became less involved in politics and was less likely to return home. This led to Sarah becoming depressed while trying to care for their six children. Her condition led to her death in 1775. Henry was so depressed by the loss, he began engaging in politics, culminating in his famous March 23rd 1775 speech. Henry was not one of the Second Virginia Convention’s optimistic members. He talked about the violations of American rights by the monarchy and suggested that war be declared against Britain. He closed his speech by saying his seven most important words, “Give us liberty or we will die!” This was a powerful message for Americans that became a rallying cry for the Revolution. Henry was appointed as the commander of the Virginian military forces shortly thereafter. But, because of his limited military experience, Henry did not feel qualified for the position, and resigned in 1776. He contributed to the creation of the Virginia constitution at the Virginia Convention. He was elected to the office of governor of Virginia. He led the war effort and sent troops to numerous colonies as governor. His close friend, George Washington, was also supported by him. His assistance was critical in moving the war forward. Without him, the American forces may have lost. Patrick Henry, aged 41, married Dorothea Dandridge (aged 18), in 1777. Henry was Henry’s second son. Henry wanted to increase the number of volunteers for war and Henry would have 11 children with Dorothea Dandridge.
After briefly retiring from his estate, Henry was called to the political scene as a chief member of state legislatures 1780-1790. Henry was elected governor again in 1784. Henry was not able to attend the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention of 1787. This was unfortunate as he did not have any input and was unhappy with the way the Constitution created a strong nation without respecting citizen rights. The Constitution might have been a different paper if he had gone. Many newspapers began publishing anti-Federalist papers, which criticize the government’s power. Many of these papers were written by Henry. The Bill of Rights, which is a list of rights for American citizens, was created because of Henry’s outspoken criticisms of the Constitution. He opposed ratification and demanded that federal government powers be reduced. However, because he hadn’t attended the Constitutional Convention, his political knowledge was limited. His proclamations were not successful, which led to the Constitution being ratified by thirteen states. He returned to the law practice after this period, abandoning any political involvement in 1791 and fully focusing on law to support his family. His son-in-law died, so he adopted his daughter and grandchildren. He also took care of the ten kids he was currently having with Dorothea. Henry declined a variety of government appointments from 1794 to 1796. This included the U.S. Ambassador position. He was also a senator, secretary of state, and chief justice of the Supreme Court. In 1799, however, he ran to be a member of the state legislature because of the disunion that the Kentucky Resolutions caused. He died in June 1799 and was buried at Red Hill. Much of this information was not available to me because I only knew Patrick Henry’s speech at the Virginia Convention.
Patrick Henry was a vital part of the founding history of our country, even though not as well-known as Jefferson or Washington. A biography on Henry is a good idea because he was a Founding Father. Henry was also the spark that ignited the flame of Revolution. He single-handedly persuaded hundreds of people to join his cause through his amazing speeches. Some of his speeches are still recognizable, but he was more than just a handful of powerful words. His ideologies of liberty were a perfect representation of the ideals of America, even though they were sometimes extreme. He was the first person to call out Britain’s disregard for American rights. He also supported the war as a major donor, providing soldiers and essentials to the army. Americans are now able to live in democracy thanks to his efforts. His story is worthy of being told, even though he was a great help in the founding and preservation of America. His incomprehensible contributions to the nation must have been recognized, and this could be done through a written biography.
Harlow Giles Unger wrote Lion of Liberty: Patrick Henry & the Call to a New Nation. I found it a decent biography. There are some parts that Henry wasn’t involved in or hardly participated in. However, this is related to the book’s nation section. Henry remains the focal point of the chapters. The sections in which he was not involved were events that led to the Revolution or the foundation of America. They also serve as a thread for the events Henry was involved with. Although I found the book somewhat boring because real life is so boring, I would not have considered it a biography novel. It also doesn’t follow the usual format for a biography book. This book is much more interesting than other biographies. It not only tells Henry’s story in an original way but also adds a lot of description to enhance the excitement and suspense of otherwise boring scenes. These adjectives allowed for vivider scenes to be portrayed in the mind. It was possible to use the right connotation for each sentence with advanced language. In case of any confusion, a chronology of the major chapters is provided at the beginning. The novel’s accuracy was ensured by the constant use of direct quotations. Authors also provided some explanations and feedback. Overall, Lion of Liberty was a highly engaging and well-written book that any reader of any age should find fascinating.
