Patrick Henry was born on May 29th, 1736 in Studley, Virginia. He grew up and was raised on Studley plantation which belonged to his mother’s family. Patrick was the second of nine children in his family. He didn’t go to school, because his father who had attended a university in Scotland taught him. After failing in business, Patrick married a girl named Sarah Shelton. They raised a family of six children.
In 1763 Patrick being a lawyer, had won his first case. In 1765, Patrick had started his political career by being appointed into the House of Burgesses. By introducing the Virginia Stamp Act Resolutions, Henry became an important person. Patrick was a loyalist, but that isn’t what formed the base of the revolution. His impact making speeches
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Patrick’s quote had stated, “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, Give me Liberty, or give me Death!” Patrick had a strong belief for freedom so much so that he would have given his life rather than live under control of the British. After being appointed as the colonel of the 1st Virginia Regiment, On April 20, 1775 Patrick led a militia in a major event called the Gunpowder Incident. It was a fight against Royal Governor Lord Dunmore’s forces to fix a dispute over gunpowder.
During the war Patrick lived on a plantation in Henry County, Virginia. Patrick, along with some of his cousins, lived on the plantation for five years, until the war was over. While living there, Patrick had seventy-five slaves working for him.
As the Revolutionary War came to an end, Patrick Henry got re-elected as the governor of Virginia from 1784 to 1786. Everything that went against basic people and state’s rights, Patrick opposed to. In 1788 when Patrick became a part of the U.S Constitution’s ratification, he also opposed voted against