Patrick Henry was a distinguished statesman and orator at the time of the American Revolutionary War. He is remembered most for his words, “Give me liberty or give me death,” which were spoken in 1775 before the Virginia Convention. Henry was urging that Virginia be armed for defense of the colony against England.

In August of 1774, Henry was elected to the First Continental Congress. He was also a member of the Second Continental Congress for a short time in 1775. After that, he became commander in chief of Virginia’s military forces.

Henry became governor of the new commonwealth of Virginia as soon as it was established. He was elected again in 1777, 1778, 1784, and 1785.

In 1788, Henry was called to ratify the United States Constitution. He opposed ratification because he believed that it endangered the rights of individuals and states. But after he lost, he accepted the Constitution and joined the Federalist Party. He was largely responsible for the adoption of the first 10 amendments to the Constitution known as the Bill of Rights.