2007-01-30 00:12:24 · 5 answers · asked by singervv01 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
If you do not have liberty (freedom) then you are a slave. He found death preferable to slavery.
2007-01-30 00:17:54 · answer #1 · answered by Beau R 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He didn't want to be in the shackles of slavery. Why do people only learn the line "Give me Liberty or Give me Death?" There is actually a whole speech with this and it would help explain his remark at the end. Basically though he didn't want to be a slave. He didn't want to be a slave to England, where he had no power.
2007-01-30 08:34:39 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Henry did not want to continue living in a state where he was not represented by his government. At this point the US is a colony of England, ruled by the English monarchy. No one in England is looking out for the best interests of the colonists, they're exploiting them for profit and the colonists are sick of it. Influenced by the writings of several philosophers of the time, many colonists want to break off from England and create a representative republic. Henry is one of these colonists and used this speech to help convince others in Virginia to support the Revolution.
2007-01-30 10:52:43 · answer #3 · answered by Stephanie W 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He had a very big mouth.
It's just a lot of guff. Of course he wouldn't have really chosen death if the choice had really been open to him.
It reminds me of the politician who said he'd rather give cyanide to a child than a certain novel. Someone else said, ok, I'll provide you with a child, a copy of the novel and some cyanide, and if you're a man of your word, I'll put up a statue to you after your execution.
2007-01-30 11:59:02 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
well if he didn't say it i would of cause i would rather be put to death than be a slave and not given the right to do what we can today
2007-01-30 08:20:18 · answer #5 · answered by boreddude 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋