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History is for Everyone · American Revolution Network

Patrick Henry's Speech and the Decision for War

Richmond, VA

Grade Range: 6-8·Duration: 2 class periods

Students examine the March 1775 Virginia Convention at St. John's Church, including Patrick Henry's 'Give me liberty, or give me death' speech, and analyze how the Convention's decision to mobilize Virginia for war shaped the colony's subsequent trajectory. Students also examine the historical evidence for the speech itself.

This Packet Includes

  • Lesson Plan & Learning Objectives
  • 5 Primary Source Analysis Worksheets
  • 3 Student Handouts
  • Assessment Quiz (5 questions)
  • Answer Key (Teacher Copy)
  • Standards Alignment
Unit:Patrick Henry's Speech and the Decision for War — Lesson Overview
History is for Everyone
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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

  1. Describe the political context of the Second Virginia Convention (March 1775) and explain why it met in Richmond
  2. Analyze Patrick Henry's speech as reconstructed by William Wirt and assess the challenges of historical memory
  3. Evaluate the Convention's decision to prepare Virginia for war and identify arguments on both sides
  4. Connect Richmond's role in 1775 to its emergence as Virginia's state capital in 1780

Essential Questions

Keep these questions in mind throughout the unit:

  • We don't have a transcript of Henry's actual words. How do historians work with speeches that were never recorded? What can we trust, and what can't we?
  • Why did the Virginia Convention need to debate whether to prepare for war in March 1775? Who was arguing against it?
Unit:Patrick Henry's Speech and the Decision for War — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:
Primary Source 1 of 5
Document Information
Document:Thomas Jefferson to Steuben, January 12, 1781 (Arnold's Raid Correspondence)
Source:Library of Congress, Thomas Jefferson Papers
Type:PRIMARY
Credibility:TIER1
Thomas Jefferson to Steuben, January 12, 1781 (Arnold's Raid Correspondence)

Thomas Jefferson to Steuben, January 12, 1781 (Arnold's Raid Correspondence)

Analysis Questions

Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.

  1. Who created this source and why?

  2. When was this source created?

  3. What perspective does this source represent?

  4. What was happening when this was written?

  5. How might the author's position affect their account?

Reflection

How does this source connect to the events in Richmond, VA? What does it reveal about the people involved?

Unit:Patrick Henry's Speech and the Decision for War — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:
Primary Source 2 of 5
Document Information
Document:Benedict Arnold's Dispatch to Sir Henry Clinton: Report on the Richmond Raid, January 1781
Source:Public Record Office (National Archives, United Kingdom)
Type:PRIMARY
Credibility:TIER1

Analysis Questions

Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.

  1. Who created this source and why?

  2. When was this source created?

  3. What perspective does this source represent?

  4. What was happening when this was written?

  5. How might the author's position affect their account?

Reflection

How does this source connect to the events in Richmond, VA? What does it reveal about the people involved?

Unit:Patrick Henry's Speech and the Decision for War — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:
Primary Source 3 of 5
Document Information
Document:Virginia Executive Papers and Council Journals, 1779-1781
Source:Library of Virginia
Type:PRIMARY
Credibility:TIER1
Virginia Executive Papers and Council Journals, 1779-1781

Virginia Executive Papers and Council Journals, 1779-1781

Analysis Questions

Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.

  1. Who created this source and why?

  2. When was this source created?

  3. What perspective does this source represent?

  4. What was happening when this was written?

  5. How might the author's position affect their account?

Reflection

How does this source connect to the events in Richmond, VA? What does it reveal about the people involved?

Unit:Patrick Henry's Speech and the Decision for War — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:
Primary Source 4 of 5
Document Information
Document:Virginia Convention at St. John's Church, Richmond: Proceedings, March 1775
Source:Library of Virginia
Type:PRIMARY
Credibility:TIER1

Analysis Questions

Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.

  1. Who created this source and why?

  2. When was this source created?

  3. What perspective does this source represent?

  4. What was happening when this was written?

  5. How might the author's position affect their account?

Reflection

How does this source connect to the events in Richmond, VA? What does it reveal about the people involved?

Unit:Patrick Henry's Speech and the Decision for War — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:
Primary Source 5 of 5
Document Information
Document:Richmond National Battlefield Park: Revolutionary War Resources
Source:National Park Service
Type:INSTITUTIONAL
Credibility:TIER1
Richmond National Battlefield Park: Revolutionary War Resources

Richmond National Battlefield Park: Revolutionary War Resources

Analysis Questions

Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.

  1. Who created this source and why?

  2. When was this source created?

  3. What perspective does this source represent?

  4. What is the institution's mission?

  5. How does that mission shape the presentation?

Reflection

How does this source connect to the events in Richmond, VA? What does it reveal about the people involved?

Unit:Patrick Henry's Speech and the Decision for War — Richmond Event Timeline
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:

Richmond Event Timeline

timeline

Students place key events in chronological order and add details

# Richmond Revolutionary Timeline


Instructions: Place the following events in order and add one detail about each.


  • [ ] Patrick Henry's "Give Me Liberty" Speech
  • [ ] Arnold Burns Richmond: January 5, 1781
  • [ ] Second Virginia Convention Meets at St. John's Church
  • [ ] Benedict Arnold's Raid on Richmond
  • [ ] Virginia's New Capitol Cornerstone Laid

---


| Event | Date | Significance |

|-------|------|-------------|

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

Unit:Patrick Henry's Speech and the Decision for War — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:

Primary Source Analysis

graphic organizer

Structured analysis of Revolutionary-era documents

# Primary Source Analysis Worksheet


## Source Information

  • Title: _________________
  • Author: _________________
  • Date: _________________
  • Type: _________________

## Observation

What do you notice? (List 3 things)

1.

2.

3.


## Reflection

What do you wonder? (List 2 questions)

1.

2.


## Analysis

What does this source tell us about Richmond during the Revolution?


_______________________________________________


## Perspective

Whose voice is represented? Whose might be missing?


_______________________________________________

Unit:Patrick Henry's Speech and the Decision for War — Key Figures Profile
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:

Key Figures Profile

worksheet

Research template for Revolutionary figures

# Revolutionary Figure Profile


## Basic Information

  • Name: _________________
  • Birth/Death Years: _________________
  • Occupation(s): _________________

## Role in the Revolution

### Patrick Henry

Delivered his "Give me liberty, or give me death" speech at St. John's Church in Richmond on March 23, 1775, arguing that Virginia must prepare for war with Britain. The speech, though reconstructed from memory decades later, became the Revolution's most famous call to arms.


My questions about this person:

1.

2.


### Thomas Jefferson

Author of the Declaration of Independence who served as Virginia's wartime governor from 1779 to 1781. Jefferson supported moving the capital to Richmond but was criticized for his handling of Benedict Arnold's raid, which exposed the new capital's vulnerability and damaged his political reputation.


My questions about this person:

1.

2.



## Reflection

Which figure interests you most and why?


_______________________________________________

Unit:Patrick Henry's Speech and the Decision for War — Assessment
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:

Richmond in the American Revolution

Answer the following questions based on our study of Revolutionary history.

  1. 1.  What makes Richmond significant in Revolutionary history?

  2. 2.  Primary sources are documents or objects created during the time period being studied.

  3. 3.  Name one event that occurred in Richmond during the Revolutionary period and explain its significance.

    Answer:

  4. 4.  Why is it important to consider multiple perspectives when studying history?

  5. 5.  Describe one connection between this town and another Revolutionary-era town we discussed.

    Answer:

ANSWER KEY · TEACHER COPY · DO NOT DISTRIBUTE

Richmond in the American Revolution

Patrick Henry's Speech and the Decision for War — Richmond, VA

  1. 1.What makes Richmond significant in Revolutionary history?
    Answer:A

    Richmond played a significant role in the American Revolution as evidenced by the events we studied.

  2. 2.Primary sources are documents or objects created during the time period being studied.
    Answer:True

    Primary sources provide firsthand evidence about historical events.

  3. 3.Name one event that occurred in Richmond during the Revolutionary period and explain its significance.
    Answer:[Varies - accept any accurate event with reasonable explanation]

    Students should identify a specific event and connect it to broader Revolutionary themes.

  4. 4.Why is it important to consider multiple perspectives when studying history?
    Answer:A

    Multiple perspectives help us understand the full complexity of historical events.

  5. 5.Describe one connection between this town and another Revolutionary-era town we discussed.
    Answer:[Varies - accept any accurate connection]

    Students should demonstrate understanding of the interconnected nature of Revolutionary events.

Unit:Patrick Henry's Speech and the Decision for War — Standards Alignment
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:

Standards Addressed

Common Core ELA

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.6: Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author's point of view or purpose
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.8: Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text

C3 Framework

  • D2.His.9.6-8: Classify the kinds of historical sources used in a secondary interpretation
  • D2.His.10.6-8: Detect possible limitations in the historical record based on evidence collected from different kinds of historical sources