Patrick Henry’s Influence

“I do not know what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”

These words kept ringing in my ears as I lay upon my bed. For days we had been arguing in Congress about the British, their rule, and taxes they always imposed on us. We wanted, as the thirteen Colonies, to be free to rule ourselves.

There are so many things that he said that made sense. Should we keep our opinions to ourselves for fear that we might make someone angry? Are we running out of time to wait and keep thinking things over and over? Is it not time for us to think about the struggle to be free? Is that thinking going on inside of people in all the thirteen Colonies? Don’t we want to make our own laws and run our own government, the way we see best? Why should we have to pay taxes for everything from tea to paper to a country we don’t even like any more?

Suddenly, I sat up. I knew what my heart was telling me. We had to go to war. Patrick Henry was right. If you believe strongly in freedom, there is only one way to get it. We must fight for liberty, or at least die trying!

As I lay back down on the pillow, a thought came to me. “Tomorrow I must tell Patrick how much I appreciate his courage to speak the words so many of us have thought, but have been too scared to speak.”