Teaching Youth America’s Legacy of Liberty Patrick Henry – Fact or Fiction “His legacy of liberty is inseparable from his legacy of character. “ Respond to each of the following statements with a T for true or F for false. Patrick Henry… _____ 1. was a powerful speaker. _____ 2. was a friend of the British. _____ 3. represented Virginia in the First Continental Congress. _____ 4. was a very religious man. _____ 5. was the 5th President of the United States. _____ 6. had seventeen children. _____ 7. kept a detailed journal. _____ 8. was the acknowledged leader of the Virginia colony at the age of twenty-­‐nine. _____ 9. was a successful farmer and country store owner. _____10. earned his law degree at Harvard. _____11. is often referred to as the Trumpet of the Revolution. _____12. did not serve in the militia during the Revolutionary War. _____13. was the first governor of Virginia. _____14. wrote the stamp act resolves which proved to be the “alarm bell” of resistance and the beginning of the revolution. _____15. enjoyed hunting, music, his family and entertaining guests in his home. Patrick Henry – Vocabulary Matching 1. Legislators ____ a) a person’s attitude or perspective based primarily on emotion 2. Resolution ____ b) Freedom; self-­‐government; the right and power to act in a manner of one’s choosing 3. Patriot ____ c) Britain required colonists to pay taxes on any printed document 4. Militia ____ d) Legislative house in colonial Virginia 5. Radical ____ e) on the alert; watchful 6. Stamp Act 1765 ____ f) a formal decision 7. House of Burgesses ____ g) a member of a lawmaking group 8. Sentiments ____ h) a person who favors major changes or reforms 9. Liberty ____ i) an army of citizens trained for emergencies 10. Vigilant ____ j) a person who loves and supports his/her country Position Paper: Patrick Henry’s Opposition to the Constitution The purpose of a position paper is to generate support of an issue. Patrick Henry was elected as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, but declined, because he “smelt a rat.” Determine your position, i.e. support for Henry’s concern or disagreement with Henry’s opposition to the Constitution. Your position should be based on facts that provide a sound argument for your position. In the position paper you should: •
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Use evident to support your position, such as dates, events, oratory etc. Validate your position with authoritative references or primary source quotations. Examine the strengths and weaknesses of your position. Evaluate possible solutions and suggest courses of action. The following structure may be used as a guideline for writing your position paper. •
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Introduction: Identifying the issue and stating your position Body: Background information; supporting evidence or facts; a discussion of both sides of the issue Conclusion: Suggested courses of action; possible solutions Students are encouraged to use primary source quotations, interviews with experts (please call on the Interpretive Staff at the American Village), and indisputable dates or events. Issues Chart: Patrick Henry’s Voice in the American Revolution Issue What was it/what did it mean? How did it impact the influence and political position of Patrick Henry? The Parson’s Cause The Stamp Act Resolutions The Virginia House of Burgesses Henry’s “treason” speech The Second Virginia Convention www.americanvillage.org 205-­‐665-­‐3535