Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Death

Henry’s speech is at its core a rallying cry for American independence. Henry argues passionately in favor of this by juxtaposing the ideal of freedom with what he characterizes as the “tyranny” of British rule. He calls on his fellow colonists to fight for the former and resist the latter at all costs, with the speech’s famous closing lines implying that freedom is more important than life itself: “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” (85).

As a short address designed for maximal emotional impact, Henry’s speech does not belabor the meanings of either “freedom” or “tyranny.” However, contextual clues provide insight into how Henry is using the terms. For example, he argues that the colonists have a natural right to freedom, which the British government has violated by imposing unjust laws and taxes. He talks, for instance, of the necessity of “preserv[ing] inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending” (84). Henry’s