Tim Zuckerman, age 14, of Dover, Del., for his question:
WHY WAS PATRICK HENRY IMPORTANT?
Patrick Henry was a distinguished orator and statesman at the time of the Revolutionary War in America. He is remembered most, perhaps, for his famous words: "Give me liberty or give me death."
Henry's famous words were spoken in 1775 before the Virginia Provincial Convention. He was urging that the Virginia militia be armed for defense of the colony against England.
During the Revolutionary War, Henry served as the governor of Virginia. He is considered to be one of the leading politicians of his day. People who heard him talk said that he was by far the most powerful speaker of his time.
Born in Virginia in 1736, Henry attended public school and was also educated by his father. He studied law and was licensed to practice in 1760. Within three years he was winning fame as an outstanding orator.
In 1764 at the age of 28, Henry was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses. Almost immediately he became a leader, supporting frontier interests against the old aristocracy. A speech against the Stamp Act in 1765 is considered to be one of his greatest orations.
In 1774 Henry was elected to be a delegate to the First Continental Congress and a year later he became a member of the Second Continental Congress. In 1776 he helped draw up the first constitution of the commonwealth of Virginia.
As soon as the commonwealth was established, Henry became the first governor. He was an excellent, hard working administrator. His feeling for democracy was shown when he became the first politician to call the voters "fellow citizens."
Henry was elected governor again in 1777, 1778, 1784 and 1785.
In 1788, Henry served in the Virginia state convention which was called to ratify the United States Constitution.
Henry opposed ratification of the United States Constitution in 1788 because he believed that the document endangered the rights of individuals and states. But after he lost, he accepted the Constitution and joined the Federalist Party.
Patrick Henry was largely responsible for the adoption of the first 10 amendments of the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights.
Badly in debt, Henry left public service in 1788 and returned to his law practice. His fame as a brilliant speaker brought him many clients and he soon became a successful criminal lawyer. He then retired to his Red Hill estate near Appomattox, Va., in 1794.
During the next five years, Henry refused many requests to return to public life. He was offered a seat in the United States Senate, posts as minister to Spain and France, a place in George Washington's Cabinet as secretary of State, and the position of Chief Justice of the United States.
In 1796, he was elected governor for the sixth time but he refused to take office.
George Washington persuaded him to become a candidate for representative in the Virginia Legislature. He won the election but he died in 1799 before he could take office.