Essay On Speech To The Virgina Convention

Although most may only remember the “Speech in the Virginia Convention” by its quotable line “Give my liberty, or give me death!” Patrick Henry convinced the Virginia Convention to fight the British by use of sensory details, facts and statistics, examples, and his own options.

First of all he convinced them by the use of sensory details. He used three forms of theses details for his speech, rhetorical questions, repetitions, and allusions. The first rhetorical question was “Has Great Britain any enemy, in this corner of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies?” Bringing to the attention of the Convention that if Great Britain is not against us then why do they keep calling for navies and armies to be formed around us. The second rhetorical question was “What terms shall we find which have not been already Exhausted?” Meaning that what compromises and boundaries could they find to keep with Britain that they didn’t already have and argue over. The third and final rhetorical question was “But when shall we be stronger?” Because he is asking them if we are not strong enough today then when will we be stronger?, he is showing them that, that was not a logical excuse for avoiding the war.

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Examples of slavery were also very important in this speech. A few of them were, “Sir, we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on. He uses this allusion to say that it seems that everyone though having eyes, refuse to see that war is coming and though having ears, refuse to hear that war is coming. ”, “There is no longer any room for hope. ”, “there is no retreat but in submission to slavery!”, “Ask yourself how this gracious reception of our petition comports with these warlike preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not,. as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?” “They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging. ” He makes these statements and references to prove his point and show that he isn’t just making this speech from his own emotional view points but has truth to back it up. Because without this persuasive speech America may have been at the mercy of the British even today.

Approximate Word count = 831
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

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