Liberty or Death
Introduction
The most quoted speech of the Revolutionary era is then one given in the Virginia by Patrick Henry. In March of 1775, delegates from around Virginia met in St John's church in Richmond to take a vote on Virginia's position on the conflict with England. Shots had not yet been fired at Lexington and Concord, and still, some were calling for a break from England. Henry's words clearly define the choices Americans had to either submit to the will of England or fight for the ideals of liberty.
Procedure
In this brief lesson, we will look at the speech made by Patrick Henry. Students will read passages and will commit to memory, some of the most important lines of this speech
Resources
- Speech given March 23, 1775 by Patrick Henry (Primary source)
- Patrick Henry biography (handout)
Specific Objectives
Upon the completion of this lesson, students will be able to:
- anaylze the speech of Patrick Henry
- recite key passages from the speech
- Liberty or Death powerpoint
There will be a brief follow-up discussion following the completion of this lesson as well as a quiz on the information in the textbook
Delaware State Standards addressed
Geography Standard Four Grade 6-8a
- Students will explain how conflict and cooperation among people contributes to the division of the Earth's surface into distinctive cultural regions and political territories.
- Students will analyze historical materials to trace the development of an idea or trend across space or over a prolonged period of time in order to explain patterns of historical continuity and change.
- Students will examine historical documents, artifacts, and other materials, and analyze them in terms of credibility, as well as the purpose, perspective, or point of view for which they were constructed
- Students will compare different historians' descriptions of the same societies in order to examine how the choice of questions and use of sources may affect their conclusions
- Students will develop an understanding of pre-industrial United States history and its connections to Delaware history, including:
- Three worlds meet (Beginnings to 1620)
- Colonization and Settlement (1585-1763)
- Revolution and the New Nation (1754-1820s)
- Expansion and Reform (1801-1861)
- Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877)
- Students will understand why governments have the authority to make, enforce, and interpret laws and regulations, such as levying taxes, conducting foreign policy, and providing for national defense.
Economics Standard One 4-5b
- Students will understand that consumers and producers make economic choices based on supply, demand, access to markets, and the actions of the government.
- Students will analyze how changes in technology, costs, and demand interact in competitive markets to determine or change the price of goods and services
- Students will analyze the role of money and banking in the economy, and the ways in which government taxes and spending affect the functioning of market economies.
- Students will demonstrate how international trade links countries around the world and can improve the economic welfare of nations.
- Students will examine how nations with different economic systems specialize and become interdependent through trade and how government policies allow either free or restricted trade