“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”
At just 27 years of age in 1763, Patrick Henry gained fame as a patriot for arguing that when even a king interfered with local lawmaking, he “degenerates into a Tyrant, and forfeits all right to his subjects’ obedience.” This set the stage for future opposition to...
In his 4th speech during the Virginia Ratifying Convention, Patrick Henry made the case that the constitution was being sold as a response to dangers that didn’t truly exist – but instead created an even greater one, consolidation. Path to Liberty, Fast Friday...
Responding to Federalist claims that rejecting ratification would lead to danger, chaos and potential ruin, Patrick Henry took the other side, “it is the fortune of a free people not to be intimidated by imaginary dangers” and urged the addition of a bill of rights...
Centralization of power, standing armies, an elected king – would lead to a mighty empire, rather than a land of liberty. That’s what Patrick Henry warned about in his 2nd speech during the Virginia Ratifying Convention – June 5, 1788. Path to Liberty: May...
In his first speech at the Virginia Ratifying Convention, Patrick Henry challenged the legitimacy of the Philadelphia Convention of 1787, warned against consolidation, and argued that a federal system should start with We the States. Path to Liberty, Fast Friday...
On March 23, 1775 – less than a month before Lexington and Concord and the “shot heard round the world,” Patrick Henry offered a set of resolutions before the Second Virginia Convention to establish a provincial militia and put Virginia in a posture...