"Give me liberty, or give me death!" speech

E126122

The "Give me liberty, or give me death!" speech is a famous 1775 oration by Patrick Henry that passionately urged armed resistance to British rule and helped galvanize support for the American Revolution.

All labels observed (4)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf oration
political speech
revolutionary speech
associatedWithEvent Second Virginia Convention
linked to: Virginia Convention
associatedWithPerson George Washington
Richard Henry Lee
Thomas Jefferson
author Patrick Henry
building St. John’s Church
centralTheme call for armed resistance
individual freedom
liberty versus tyranny
city Richmond
colony Virginia
countryOfOrigin Thirteen Colonies
United States (historical context)
date 23 March 1775
deliveredTo Second Virginia Convention
linked to: Virginia Convention
famousLine "Give me liberty, or give me death!"
genre persuasive rhetoric
historicalSignificance became a symbol of American patriotism
helped galvanize support for the American Revolution
one of the most famous speeches in American history
ideology classical liberalism
linked to: Liberalism

republicanism
language English
legacy enduring symbol of the value of liberty over life
frequently referenced in political discourse
locationType church
memorability widely taught in American schools
opposedTo British imperial authority
continued political submission to Britain
placeOfSpeech St. John’s Church, Richmond, Virginia
linked to: St. John’s Church
politicalBodyAddressed Virginia House of Burgesses members (as delegates)
politicalContext American Revolution
American colonial resistance to British rule
purpose to persuade Virginia to raise militia forces
to urge military preparedness against Britain
quotationStatus iconic American quote
region Virginia Colony
result influenced the Virginia Convention to support arming the colony
speaker Patrick Henry
subject British colonial policies
natural rights
self-defense
timePeriod prelude to the American Revolutionary War
warContext American Revolutionary War (imminent)
year 1775

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (4)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Patrick Henry knownFor "Give me liberty, or give me death!" speech
Patrick Henry famousQuote Give me liberty, or give me death!
subject linked to: Virginia Convention
linked to: "Give me liberty, or give me death!" speech
St. John’s Church (Richmond, Virginia) significantEvent Patrick Henry’s “Give me liberty, or give me death!” speech
subject linked to: St. John’s Church
linked to: "Give me liberty, or give me death!" speech
Speech at the Second Virginia Convention, March 23, 1775 famousFor the phrase “Give me liberty, or give me death!”
linked to: "Give me liberty, or give me death!" speech