Patrick Henry (1736-1799) was an American attorney, planter, and orator best known for his fiery speeches in the Virginia House of Burgesses and the Continental Congress during the American Revolution. He is remembered for his famous words, "Give me liberty or give me death!" Henry was born in Hanover County, Virginia, and was educated at the College of William and Mary. He was admitted to the bar in 1760 and began practicing law in Hanover County. He was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1765 and quickly became a leader of the Patriot cause. He was a vocal opponent of the Stamp Act and other British policies, and he was a leader of the Virginia Revolution. In 1775, Henry was elected to the Second Continental Congress, where he was a vocal advocate for independence. He was a major force behind the Declaration of Independence and the Virginia Constitution. After the Revolution, he served as the first governor of Virginia from 1776 to 1779 and again from 1784 to 1786. Henry was a strong advocate of states' rights and a fierce opponent of the Constitution. He was a leader of the Anti-Federalist movement and was one of the most influential figures in the early years of the United States. He died in 1799 at the age of 63.
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