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Speech To The Second Virginia Convention Patrick Henry Rhetorical Analysis Essay

626 Words3 Pages

Dumping 342 containers of tea into the Boston Harbor on December 16, 1773 was just the beginning of the rebellion against paying taxes to Great Britain. As the author and orator of the “Speech to the Second Virginia Convention,” Patrick Henry fights against being “slaves” to Great Britain. Henry utilizes rhetorical strategies such as, ethos, logos, and pathos to persuade Virginia to start the American Revolution. To show the audience that he has credibility, Patrick Henry starts his speech with, ”No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the House” (Henry 1). He tells the audience that he has incredible patriotism for the colonies and that there are worthy gentlemen that have the ability to fight for our country. He uses ethos to tell the audience how serious he is and how …show more content…

Henry believes he has committed treason if he does not fight for freedom of the colonies. He also believes it is disloyal towards God. He uses religion to connect with the colonists because he knew they would if God was involved because they are exceedingly religious. In the most famous line in the speech, Henry uses pathos: “Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death” (Henry 3). This is Patrick Henry’s last plead to persuade the audience to start the war; it is his last plea to achieve freedom.
Patrick Henry achieved his wish to rebel against Great Britain. He used ethos, logos, and pathos to persuade the colonists to fight for what they believe in. Who knew that tossing tea bags into the Boston Harbor would start a

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Which is the action that set the leaders of Virginia off and ultimately led to the consideration of a militia. In Henry’s speech, he is saying that these actions show that the British have no intention of finding a peaceful resolution. Henry professed that he, “wish[es] to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the House” (Henry 1). He is pointing out that the men he is addressing have no reason to think that anything will change with the British unless force is used and that they are only keeping their stances up to protect themselves. While rebellions are hard to start and even harder to keep going Henry does an excellent job at coaxing the members of the Virginia convention to his side through his speech.

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In the “Speech to the Virginia Convention” given by Patrick Henry to the President in 1775, asserts that the colonists should not be trying to negotiate with the British. His purpose was to convince the audience that they should not be trying to befriend the people of Great Britain rather that they should make Great Britain their foe. Henry uses his speech to appeal to both the President and the colonist through the use of figurative language, tone, and syntax. Patrick Henry’s use of diction, a persuasive and forceful tone, appeal to ethos and pathos, as well as various syntactical elements in his “Speech to the Virginia Convention” shows that the colonists should be fighting to break away from the British monarchy rather than negotiate terms to try and stay under their clutches.

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Patrick henry uses rhetorical appeals by using God to persuade memebers of the virginia convention to go to war with Britian. He uses pathos, logos, and ethos because he appeasl to peoples emotions and how they feel about going to war with Britain. Henry is a person who fights to get what he wants. He's a man that believes fighting is the only way of getting freedom. Henry is a credible speaker because of this he gets some to agree with him on going to war with Britain, and some still disagree becasue some say they are not ready, they are weak.

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Drawing upon his established ethos, Henry alludes to the Bible, implying that if the Convention ignored him they would face destruction. Henry develops this idea of destruction throughout his speech, creating an emotional sense of fear and urgency around his argument with words such as “snare,” “war and subjugation,” “chains,” and “tyrannical.” Despite this heavy pathos throughout his speech, Henry also incudes logic, speaking of how he must judge the future by the past, and for that reason can only find proof that Britain will continue to mistreat the Colonies. He additionally utilizes logos through recounting all the acts they have tried so far, which had all been in vain, as well as through a series of “if… then” statements, such as “if we wish to be free… [then] we must

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During this time, religion was very important so it was very crucial for Patrick Henry to mention this in his speech, because it was a main appeal everyone had in common. Finally, Patrick Henry uses the rhetorical appeal of logos, logic appeal. Mr. Henry uses logos when he says, “...what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission?”. This is a logical analysis, because he points out that there is no other reason for the warlike products, but for the Americans. Another logical point Mr. Henry makes is when he says “...we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on...petitioned...remonstrated...supplicated...and implored its interposition...

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