Question

What statement BEST summarizes the speech?

A) Patrick Henry is angry with Great Britain due to unfair taxes.
B) Through experience Patrick Henry has learned not to trust the British.
C) The colonies are too weak to battle Great Britain but Patrick disagrees.
D) Patrick Henry pleads with legislature to take up arms against encroaching British forces before it’s too late.

Answer 1

The correct answer is C) The colonies are too weak to battle Great Britain but Patrick disagrees.

The statement that BEST summarizes the speech is "The colonies are too weak to battle Great Britain but Patrick disagrees."

We are talking about the famous speech "Liberty or Death," delivered by Patrick Henry, during the Virginia Convention of 1775. Henry knew that a major confrontation with England was at hand due to the exasperation of the American colonists for the heavy taxation imposed by the British government. And the worst part of it was that the American colonies did not have a voice or representation in the British Parliament.

Answer 2

D) Patrick Henry pleads with legislature to take up arms against encroaching British forces before it’s too late.

Step-by-step explanation:

Patrick Henry was one of the most talented American nationalists who influenced the country's independence and shaped the nation's history. A well-educated lawyer and politician, Henry was a key figure in the events leading up to the American Revolution that began in 1775 leading to America's independence in 1776. An excellent speaker and a successful farmer, Henry's influence was felt in America pre and post independency.

On March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry spoke at the convention in Richmond, Virginia, about growing tensions between the colony and England.

The original speech was not transcribed by anyone at the time, but everyone present reported that it was one of the best, most inflamed and persuasive ever delivered. The delegates who watched Patrick Henry's brilliant and historic performance agree on the last sentence of the speech, which immortalized its author: "Give me Liberty or Give me Death!"

The phrase influences many political speeches to this day. It is present at the opening of the Uruguayan anthem ("Orientales la Patria o la Tumba!") And in the Greek slogan ("Eleftheria i thanatos", "Freedom or Death"), among others.