On March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry stood before the Virginia Convention in Richmond. The delegates were debating whether Virginia should prepare for war against Great Britain. Many leaders wanted to keep talking and hoping for peace. Henry disagreed. He gave one of the most famous speeches in American history. He argued that Britain had already shown it would never treat the colonies fairly. Petitions had been ignored. Soldiers had been sent. He said the colonists had only two choices: submit to British rule or fight for their freedom. His final words echoed through the church where the convention met: "Give me liberty, or give me death!" The speech was persuasive. The convention voted to organize a militia and prepare Virginia for war. Just one month later, the first battles of the American Revolution were fought at Lexington and Concord. Henry's words captured the spirit of a movement that would change the world.