To say that the Founding Fathers were radical is pretty common, and even widely accepted. The Founding Fathers were radical, but Patrick Henry was "The Radical". Henry was by far the most extreme of the group, surpassing the rest by leaps and bounds. He played something of a O'Reilly/Beck/Limbaugh to the rest of the group, giving them a constant taste of the, sometimes ridiculously, extremist side. Patrick was uniquely the extremist that America actually needed.
If this be treason, make the most of it!
Effect
Patrick Henry is probably the toughest of all people on this website to analyze. How much he did is different in everyone's eye, and there are absolutely no measuring marks to measure him against. Henry more or less insured that someone at the time gave us the Bill of Rights, restricting the government from overstepping its bounds while at the same time guaranteeing our personal liberties. Henry's position in a powerful state plus his anti-big government criticism throughout the entire Revolution insured that his voice was heard and at least considered. Not everything he thought of was a great plan, but it presented a new view that was extremely important to guaranteeing our liberty and freedom as Americans.
Are we at last brought to such humiliating and debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with arms for our defense?
The Bible is worth all the other books which have ever been printed.
Biography
Patrick Henry was born on May 29, 1736 on the Virginia plantation his mother's family owned. He had no easy life but not much information is known concerning his early life. He was taught by his father and uncle and going to church seemed to make a huge impact on his life and the way he spoke. Henry could play two instruments, the fiddle and the flute. He learned about failure early on when his father's business that he worked at folded. He tasted failure again after marrying and losing his newly acquired farm. He passed the bar test in 1760 and finally found success. He quickly rose to fame in law and politics and his reputation as a powerful, persuasive, and gifted orator grew. He won an election in 1765 to the House of Burgesses, instantly becoming the strongest opposition to Britain. He sometimes was called treasonous for speaking out in the manner that he did. He called for the unification of the Colonies, refusing to call himself Virginian, but an American instead. He was voted Governor of Virginia in 1776 and he thoroughly supported Washington and the Revolutions cause with troops and supplies. Henry was adamantly opposed to the Constitution and refused to personally accept it until the Bill of Rights was added to it. Henry later turned down several major positions, including Supreme Court Justice, instead choosing to live the remainder of his days with his wife. He passed away on June 6th, 1799.
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!
Henry sometimes was called treasonous for speaking out in the manner that he did. He called for the unification of the Colonies, refusing to call himself Virginian, but an American instead. He was voted Governor of Virginia in 1776 and he thoroughly supported Washington and the Revolutions cause with troops and supplies. Henry was adamantly opposed to the Constitution and refused to personally accept it until the Bill of Rights was added to it. Henry later turned down several major positions, including Supreme Court Justice, instead choosing to live the remainder of his days with his wife. He passed away on June 6th, 1799.