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Patrick Henry: Forgotten Founder
  • Level Foundation
  • Duration 7 hours
  • Course by University of Virginia
  • Offered by

About

“Give me liberty, or give me death:” Remembering Patrick Henry, the Forgotten Founder Patrick Henry was enormously popular during the American Revolution. Even Thomas Jefferson, who over time developed a deep loathing of Henry (some would say jealousy), had to admit that “it is not now easy to say what we should have done without Patrick Henry.” Edmund Randolph, a patriot leader in his own right, explained that “It was Patrick Henry … awakening the genius of his country, and binding a band of patriots together to hurl defiance at the tyranny of so formidable a nation as Great Britain.” Yet, today, Patrick Henry is ill-remembered; most Americans might recall at best perhaps a snippet from a famous speech: “give me liberty, or give me death.” The reasons for our historic forgetfulness are several: after the Revolution, Henry chose to oppose ratification of the U.S. Constitution, believing that it created a distant and too-powerful government, and he refused proffered position in George Washington’s administration, diminishing his historic memory. Equally important, Henry died in 1799 shortly after a political campaign in which, at Washington’s behest, he opposed Jefferson’s and James Madison’s ill-advised radical states’ rights attack on the U.S. government, and Jefferson spent the next twenty-six years systematically attacking Henry’s legacy. Patrick Henry, who helped to ignite a revolution, deserves better. This course will explore how he over¬came challenges to reach the pinnacle of Virginia politics and unite Americans behind a challenge to Britain – the eighteenth century’s super-power, why he opposed the U.S. Constitu¬tion, and why he then came out of retirement to defend the people’s Constitution against the attacks of Jefferson and Madison. Participants should evaluate Henry’s role in proclaiming a revolution and consider whether he had an equally important role in saving it. The course should also develop an improved appreciation for the complex political, economic, and religious forces that shaped the early republic. As a biographical course, it also demonstrates how personalities play an important role in even the most foundational national history. Image Attribution: The background image for this webpage is Patrick Henry before the Virginia House of Burgesses by Peter F. Rothermel (1851) with special thanks to the owner, the Patrick Henry Memorial Foundation. The painting of Patrick Henry's 1765 "Caesar had his Brutus" speech (discussed in the second lecture) is entirely romanticized -- neither Henry nor the House of Burgesses looked at all like this -- but it does show that hagiography of Henry, almost god-like veneration, began shortly after this death.

Modules

Patrick Henry: Forgotten Founder

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Discussion
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1 Discussions

  • Understanding and Expectations

1 Videos

  • Course Introduction

Learning More: Resources on Patrick Henry

    • 1 Readings
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1 Readings

  • Links to Patrick Henry Resources

Activity: Are you related to Patrick Henry?

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
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1 Discussions

  • Patrick Henry's Descendants

1 Readings

  • Patrick Henry's Family Tree

Lectures

    • 7 Videos
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7 Videos

  • Patrick Henry: Failure and Success
  • Patrick Henry's Education
  • The Problem of Slavery
  • Virginia's Newest Lawyer
  • The Parson's Cause: Background
  • The Parson's Cause: "Treason!"
  • Conclusion: Patrick Henry Failures and Successes

Quiz: Patrick Henry: Failure and Success

    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Henry's early life

Lectures

    • 8 Videos
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8 Videos

  • Revolutionary Henry
  • The Stamp Act Resolves: "Treason!"
  • Successful Lawyer
  • The Coming of the Revolution
  • "Give me liberty, or give me death"
  • Colonel Henry, Governor Henry
  • Governor Jefferson Flees
  • Conclusion: Thomas Jefferson versus Patrick Henry

Thomas Jefferson v. Patrick Henry

    • 1 Discussion
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1 Discussions

  • Thomas Jefferson v. Patrick Henry

Quiz: Revolutionary Henry

    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Revolutionary Henry

Lectures

    • 11 Videos
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11 Videos

  • Constitutional Henry
  • Post-war Legislator and the Failed Religious Assessment
  • Governor Henry, Again
  • The "Critical Period"
  • Patrick Henry and the Constitutional Convention
  • Challenges to the Proposed Constitution
  • Patrick Henry, Anti-Federalist
  • The Anti-Federalists Challenge the Constitution
  • The Anti-Federalists' Influence
  • Loyal Opposition
  • Conclusion: Constitutional Henry

Constitutional Henry

    • 1 Discussion
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1 Discussions

  • Anti-federalists' Concerns

Quiz: Constitutional Henry

    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Constitutional Henry

Lectures

    • 12 Videos
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12 Videos

  • Patrick Henry Legacy
  • Retirement: Children, Education, and Land
  • Religion in Retirement (and the French Revolution)
  • Virginia's Leading Lawyer
  • Offers of Political Office
  • The Politics of the 1790s: France and England
  • The Alien & Sedition Acts; the Kentucky & Virginia Resolutions
  • Patrick Henry, Federalist
  • Henry's Last Speech
  • Patrick Henry's Death
  • Historic Memory
  • Historic Legacy

Patrick Henry's Legacy, Today and Beyond

    • 1 Discussion
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1 Discussions

  • Patrick Henry's Legacy

Thomas Jefferson v. Patrick Henry, 2

    • 1 Discussion
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1 Discussions

  • Thomas Jefferson v. Patrick Henry, 2

Quiz: Patrick Henry Legacy

    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Patrick Henry Legacy

Auto Summary

Dive into the life of Patrick Henry, a pivotal yet often overlooked figure of the American Revolution, with this engaging biographical course. Led by expert instructors from Coursera, you'll explore Henry's rise in Virginia politics, his fiery challenge to British rule, his opposition to the U.S. Constitution, and his later defense of it against Jefferson and Madison. Spanning 420 minutes, this foundational Arts & Humanities course offers a comprehensive look at the complex forces shaping early America and the significant role of individual personalities in history. Ideal for history enthusiasts and those seeking a deeper understanding of America's founding era. Subscribe with the Starter plan and enrich your knowledge today.

John Ragosta
Instructor

John Ragosta