What Is The Similarities Between Patrick Henry And The American Crisis

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Give them liberty of give them death! In 1773, Thomas Paine wrote “The American Crisis”, an essay designed to persuade the colonists to separate from Britain. In 1775, Patrick Henry delivered his “Speech in the Virginia Convention with the same idea. Paine and Henry wanted to persuade the colonists to stand up for their freedom and basic human rights against Britain. The writings of Thomas Paine and Patrick Henry both use metaphors, include rhetorical questions, and serve the same purpose. The first similarity between “The American Crisis” and “Speech in the Virginia Convention”, is the use of extended metaphors. Thomas Paine states in his essay, “Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she had a right (not only to) TAX but “to BIND us in ALL CASES WHATSOEVER,” and if being bound in that manner is not slavery, then is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth.” Here, Paine is comparing how Britain treated the colonies to that of a slave and slave owner. Britain has used its power to take full control of the colonies, placing them under laws and rules they have not agreed to. Another metaphor in “The American Crisis” is, “Not all the treasures of the world, so far as I believe, could have induced me to support an offensive war, but I think it murder, but if a thief breaks into my home, burns and destroys my property, and kills or threatens to kill me, or those that are in it, and to “bind me in all cases whatsoever” to his absolute will, am I to