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Patrick Henry Give me Liberty

On this day in 1775, in a speech to the second Virginia Convention, Patrick Henry, one of the Sons of Liberty, states emphatically:

“GIVE ME LIBERTY, OR GIVE ME DEATH!”

“All that is left us…”

Some selected excerpts of that same speech:

“Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings… .”

“If we wish to be free…we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of hosts is all that is left us!”

“Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations.”

“Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”

Which course would you choose? In what modern day “fields” do we stand idle?

Patrick Henry "Give me liberty, or give me death!"

 

Boston Tea Party

On this day in 1773, a large group of the Sons of Liberty, led by patriot Samuel Adams, board three British tea ships and dump 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor. Of course, their nighttime raid became known as the “Boston Tea Party,” and was witnessed by thousands.

The Sons disguised themselves as Mohawk Indians to signal an end to their British subjection. The “Party” was, in fact, a protest of the Tea Act of 1773. This tyrannical Act of taxation was designed to allow the East India Company to undercut the rest of the tea market. Samuel Adams saw this British tea monopoly as identical to a tax, and ultimately, taxation without representation.

The ninety thousand pounds of dumped tea was worth more well over one million of today’s dollars.

Patriotic Protest

It is especially noteworthy that no damage was done to any ships, nor were any crew members injured. In fact, the next day, the ‘partiers’ replaced the lone padlock they broke. Now that’s why the Boston Tea Party was a patriotic protest.

Wear Our Samuel Adams shirt to your next party, or your next protest, for that matter:

 

Boston Tea Party