Final answer:
The purpose of Patrick Henry's speech was to advocate for American independence from Great Britain, reflect the colonists' resolve for liberty, and energize them toward declaring themselves free and independent states.
Step-by-step explanation:
The author's purpose in the section of Patrick Henry's 1775 speech is likely to argue for American independence from Great Britain and to incite action towards that independence. Henry's use of the phrase "Give me Liberty, or give me Death!" is emblematic of the colonists' sentiment that living under British rule without autonomy was tantamount to a loss of life itself. By this time, Patrick Henry, along with other colonial leaders like Thomas Paine and those involved in the Second Continental Congress, had concluded that the only viable course of action was to declare the American colonies free and independent states. This determination was fueled by a number of grievances, including taxation without representation, the disregard for colonial rights to life, liberty and property, and the impact of British policies that limited the economic development of the colonies.