Patrick Henry is well known for his "Give me liberty or give me death" speech. This
             speech was a primary factor in the Americans decision to wage war with Great Britain.
             Persuading politicians through the use of literary devices, passionate wording and the
             risky inclusion of illogical arguments Patrick was able to provide convincing reasons for
             He starts his speech by addressing those who may disagree with him.
             Understanding that his conclusion is not the only intelligent conclusion, he emphasizes
             the importance of debate. Introducing the speech this way not only aids in opening the
             minds of the people opposed to his view, but it also gains the attention of those in
             attendance, causing them to wonder what he could say that would cause offense. Patrick
             designs the body of his speech to list the transgressions of the English. He even refers to
             the story of Judas' betrayal of Jesus in order to imply Great Britain's evil motives. This
             illustration implies that the eternal optimists who believe it to be possible to restore
             relations with the British are simply being deceived and set up for a betraying "kiss from
             After listing the sins of the British against the Americans Patrick begins to predict
             that the British troops being sent to America will soon use force to bring the colonies into
             submission. Henry goes from confessing that his opinions may not match all the
             attendees, to listing the Britain's wrongdoings in order to build respect, incite the emotion
             of anger, and plant seeds of fear. He knows that even a passive dog will attack when
             cornered and wishes to give the impression that the Americans are cornered by the
             British. Patrick's use of rhetorical devices may have been powerful enough cause his
             peers to develop a sense of respect for his views, however; alone they would not be able
             to convince the attendees of the Virginian Convention to decid...