Henry+Reading+Check

SPEECH IN THE VIRGINIA CONVENTION Reading Check

Directions: Read over the questions below and think about Henry’s speech at the Virginia Convention. Then answer each question in one or two sentences.

1. What is Patrick Henry’s opinion of the delegates who addressed the convention before him? Henry thinks the men are great, men. However, he respectfully disagrees with there way of looking at the situation.

2. Henry refers to a lamp that guides him. What is this “lamp”? The "lamp" that Henry refers to is his "lamp of experience" with the British.

3. What does Henry indicate are the signs that the British are planning to attack?

4. Henry rejects the possibility of Americans gaining their rights simply by asking the King to grant them. Why? Henry says that time and time again, the king has denied their rights when asked, he will never change his mind. He believes that if the king won't grant us our rights, we should earn them by fighting.

5. What does Henry say will result from the colonies’ backing down from a war with Britain? Henry says if they back down they will be enslaved and have no freedom. Things will only get worse.