Quotation

"Give me Liberty, or give me Death!" is a famous quotation attributed to Patrick Henry from a speech made to the Virginia Convention. It was given March 23, 1775, at St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia, and is credited with having swung the balance in convincing the Virginia House of Burgesses to pass a resolution delivering the Virginia troops to the Revolutionary War. Supposedly in attendance were Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. Reportedly, the crowd, upon hearing the speech, shouted, "To arms! To arms!"

The text of this speech first appeared in print in Life and Character of Patrick Henry by William Wirt which was first published in 1816, seventeen years after Patrick Henry's death. In 1815, Wirt wrote to a friend, "from 1763 to 1789... not one of his speeches lives in print, writing or memory. All that is told me is, that on such and such an occasion, he made a distinguished speech"[1] Wirt corresponded with men who had heard the speech and others who were acquainted with people who were there at the time. Wirt wrote to Judge St. George Tucker, who had been present for the speech, that "I have taken almost entirely Mr. Henry's speech in the Convention of '75 from you, as well as your description of its effect on your verbatim.

The quote "Give me Liberty or give me Death" shows expression because it means that the person who states it wants to either get free or die trying. That is very expressing phrase because its showing that this person does not want to spend the rest of their live as a slave. It shows that people will, did, and still do stand up for what is right and try to change it from wrong to right. This quote is something that will always continue to be passed down from generation to generation for many many centuries.