Check out the best Patrick Henry quotes that capture the spirit of liberty, revolution, and unwavering commitment to freedom.
Patrick Henry was a fiery American patriot, orator, lawyer, and one of the most influential voices of the American Revolution.
Born in 1736 in Virginia, Henry rose to national prominence with his powerful speeches that boldly defended colonial rights and challenged British oppression.
His most famous declaration, “Give me liberty, or give me death!”, delivered at the Second Virginia Convention in 1775, became a rallying cry for American independence.
A leading figure of the Anti-Federalist movement, Henry strongly opposed unchecked federal power and passionately advocated for states’ rights, individual liberties, and limited government.
As Virginia’s first post-colonial governor, he played a key role in drafting the Virginia Declaration of Rights.
This document directly influenced the U.S. Bill of Rights and helped shape early American ideals of freedom and democracy.
Patrick Henry’s legacy lives on through his fearless words, which continue to inspire generations to stand up for justice, equal rights, and the power of conviction.
Here are the most famous Patrick Henry quotes that continue to stir hearts, spark action, and inspire the fight for liberty.
Top 10 Patrick Henry Quotes
- “Fear is the passion of slaves.” — Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry Quotes - “Give me liberty or give me death.” — Patrick Henry
Quotes By Patrick Henry - “If this be treason, make the most of it!” — Patrick Henry
Quotes From Patrick Henry - “I know of no way of judging the future but by the past.” — Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry Quote - “If we wish to be free we must fight, I repeat, we must fight.” — Patrick Henry
Quotes Of Patrick Henry - “It is when a people forget God, that tyrants forge their chains.” — Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry Famous Quote - “The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave.” — Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry Quotations - “I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience.” — Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry Sayings - “United we stand, divided we fall. Let us not split into factions which must destroy that union upon which our existence hangs.” — Patrick Henry
Best Patrick Henry Quotes - “The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government.” — Patrick Henry
Famous Quotes By Patrick Henry
- “The Bible is worth all the other books which have ever been printed.” — Patrick Henry
- “The eternal difference between right and wrong does not fluctuate, it is immutable.” — Patrick Henry
- “The first thing I have at heart is American liberty; the second thing is American union.” — Patrick Henry
- “The militia is our ultimate safety. We can have no security without it. The great object is that every man be armed.” — Patrick Henry
- “It is natural to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes to that siren until she allures us to our death.” — Patrick Henry
- “Perfect freedom is as necessary to the health and vigor of commerce as it is to the health and vigor of citizenship.” — Patrick Henry
- “Bad men cannot make good citizens. A vitiated state of morals, a corrupted public conscience are incompatible with freedom.” — Patrick Henry
- “The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure, when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them.” — Patrick Henry
- “You ought to be extremely cautious, watchful, jealous of your liberty; for instead of securing your rights, you may lose them forever.” — Patrick Henry
- “Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined.” — Patrick Henry
Best Patrick Henry Quotes On Christianity, Religion, & God
- “Being a Christian is a character which I prize far above all this world has or can boast.” — Patrick Henry
- “It is a debt we owe to the purity of our religion to show that it is at variance with that law which warrants slavery.” — Patrick Henry
- “This is all the inheritance I give to my dear family. The religion of Christ will give them one which will make them rich indeed.” — Patrick Henry
- “I have now disposed of all my property to my family. There is one thing more I wish I could give them, and that is the Christian religion.” — Patrick Henry
- “For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it might cost, I am willing to know the whole TRUTH; to know the worst, and to PROVIDE for it.” — Patrick Henry
- “Unite liberality with a just frugality; always reserve something for the hand of charity; and never let your door be closed to the voice of suffering humanity.” — Patrick Henry
- “It can not be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians, not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ!” — Patrick Henry
- “My most cherished possession I wish I could leave you is my faith in Jesus Christ, for with Him and nothing else you can be happy, but without Him and with all else you’ll never be happy.” — Patrick Henry
- “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!” — Patrick Henry
- “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.” — Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry Quotes And Sayings
- “I am not a Virginian, but an American.” — Patrick Henry
- “Liberty is the greatest of all earthly blessings—give us that precious jewel, and you may take everything else!” — Patrick Henry
- “When the American spirit was in its youth, the language of America was different: Liberty, sir, was the primary object.” — Patrick Henry
- “Would any one believe that I am master of slaves by my own purchase? I am drawn along by the general inconvenience of living without them.” — Patrick Henry
- “We should not forget that the spark which ignited the American Revolution was caused by the British attempt to confiscate the firearms of the colonists.” — Patrick Henry
- “Adversity toughens manhood, and the characteristic of the good or the great man is not that he has been exempt from the evils of life, but that he has surmounted them.” — Patrick Henry
- “Show me that age and country where the rights and liberties of the people were placed on the sole chance of their rulers being good men, without a consequent loss of liberty?” — Patrick Henry
- “That country is become a great, mighty, and splendid nation: not because their government is strong and energetic, but, sir, because liberty is its direct end and foundation.” — Patrick Henry
- “No free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue; and by a frequent recurrence to fundamental principles.” — Patrick Henry
- “They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house?” — Patrick Henry
Conclusion
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