Would America be the same nation today without some of our founding fathers and their contributions? If one were to remove Patrick Henry from this equation, the answer could very easily be “yes,” because Henry played a very important role in the success of American independence. In the spring of 1775, Patrick Henry met with the Second Virginia Convention to discuss the need for military mobilization against Britain's immoral control of the colonies. Along with Richard Henry Lee and Thomas Jefferson, Henry co-created the Virginia House of Burgesses to help resolve the tumultuous state of the colonies. On March 23, Patrick Henry addressed his fellow citizens of Virginia, in front of what is now Saint-Jean Church. He spoke with a fervent intimacy that captured the attention of his audience, demonstrating at the same time undeniable support for the struggle against English domination. His use of rhetorical strategies throughout his speech touched the heart of the American patriot, uniting supporters of revolution to fight British tyranny. Henry opens his speech by explaining why colonists of different opinions should unite to fight British rule. He recognizes both sides, knowing that he must sympathize with the different sides and then promote his plan. He views the action or inaction of the American military against British rule as nothing more than a “question of liberty and slavery” (Henry). In doing so, he creates an ultimatum using two antonymous words "freedom" and "slavery", thereby creating a fear of slavery while also evoking a sense of hope only found in military action. Henry says that by withholding his opinions he "should consider [himself] guilty of treason to my country, ... middle of paper ... uniting his audience." With repetitions and increasingly succinct syntax, he leads the audience towards a feeling of invigoration, even rebirth, because over the course of the speech, Henry has completely changed his mind. Henry asks, “Is life so dear...that it can be bought with the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I don't know what path others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death! With these words, Henry summarizes the points of his entire speech, reintroducing the motifs of slavery and imprisonment as well as God's blessing to fight. For Patrick Henry, there was no compromise, and although historians still debate the legitimacy of his speech, the impact it had was nothing short of revolutionary. His ability to craft such a carefully organized speech, laced with effective rhetoric, places him at the forefront of American orators..