Born May 29, 1736
Studley, Virginia
Died June 6, 1799
Charlotte County, Virginia

Politician, lawyer, public speaker

" /> "If we wish to be free we must fight… Gentlemen may cry peace! peace! but there is no peace! The war is actually begun!"
Portrait: Patrick Henry. Reproduced by permission of AP/Wide World Photos.>

During Revolutionary times most Americans got their information by the spoken word. Patrick Henry's fiery speeches inspired the American colonies to turn their dreams of freedom from England into reality. His ability to relate to the common man as well as lawmakers allowed him to capture the loyalty of a wide audience and become one of the major heroes of the American Revolution.

Patrick Henry was the son of John Henry, a wealthy planter, and his wife, Sarah Winston Syme Henry. He was born on May 29, 1736, in Hanover County, Virginia. For a few years he attended the local...