Essay On Patrick Henry's Appeal To The Virginia Convention

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Henry's Appeal to the Virginia Convention In 1775, American Colonists were Satisfied about their relationship with Britain. Some people were still hoping that the colonists would work out the disagreements. Others, like Patrick Henry, thought the only thing left to do was to go to war with Britain. Patrick Henry was known for his speeches supporting the American Democracy. Henry uses rhetorical appeals, such as, ethos, pathos, and logos in his speech to the "Virginia Convention." In the "Virginia Convention" Patrick Henry uses a rhetorical appeal, ethos, which appeals to the audiences trust using credibility. Henry uses ethos by stating, "We are not weak if we make proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power." He uses God as a source because it will make him sound more trusting and make him sound like he knows what he is talking about by quoting the Bible. Also, to make the audience know that God is on their side and the shouldn't lose. For example, Henry also states, "we hold God and our country ... and of an act of disloyalty towards the majesty of heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings." Henry uses ethos by meaning God is more credible than the king of England. For these reasons, Henry uses ethos to make him more credible and trustworthy to his statements. Another rhetorical appeal Henry uses is pathos, …show more content…

Henry wants the audience to know that if we don't act now and go to war against Britain that we won't have freedom for much longer. That is why he used the rhetorical appeals in his speech because he wants the audience to know how he feels and how they should feel toward the colonists as much as