Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!: Freedom and Tyranny Quotes
How we cite our quotes: (Sentence)
Quote #1
The question before the house is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. (4-5)
Nice connection here, Henry. Check out how he relates his larger theme of freedom to his specific freedom to speak (ahem) freely about his thoughts.
Quote #2
They are meant for us; they can be meant for no other. They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging. (28-29)
Henry's not wrong here. The end of the French and Indian War/Seven Years' War (see "Historical Context") left Britain in control of everything north of Florida, east of the Mississippi and south of the Arctic. There aren't any French or Spanish threats to be concerned about, so why all the peacekeeping forces, Britain?
Quote #3
Sir, we have done everything that could be done, to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament. (39-40)
When you're mad at your constitutional monarchy, it's most diplomatic to go after the "constitutional" part rather than the "monarchy" part. That way, you can always say your problem was never with one specific person (like the king) but with general groups like "Parliament" or "the ministry." This makes it less likely that you'll make specific enemies—you can always come back and say, "But we weren't talking about you."
Quote #4
If we wish to be free, if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending, if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained, we must fight! (44)
Well, says Henry, we've come this far and it would be kind of embarrassing to turn around now. Think about what's going on here. He says the colonies have been struggling for a long time, but they're just now thinking about turning this cold war hot. So what struggle is he talking about? It's those ten years since the Stamp Act, since Britain got the idea that the colonies should pay for stuff and the colonies said no dice.
Quote #5
There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! (60-62)
Again, these aren't literal chains. That clanking Henry hears? It's the sound of the smackdown Britain laid on Boston after the Boston Tea Party.
Quote #6
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!
Earlier in the speech, Henry said they didn't have a choice about fighting. Life and peace weren't going to be an option unless they fought for it. Now he gives them a choice…but we all know which choice he expects them to make.