Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death

Patrick Henry

1 No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the House. But different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen if, entertaining as I do opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely and without reserve. This is no time for ceremony. The question before the House is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings.

2 Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it.

3 I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the House. Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received? Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with those warlike preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled that force must be called in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation; the last arguments to which kings resort. I ask gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it? Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us: they can be meant for no other. They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging. And what have we to oppose to them? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we anything new to offer upon the subject? Nothing. We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted? Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves. Sir, we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne! In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free—if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending—if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained—we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of hosts is all that is left us!

4 They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. The millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable—and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come.

5 It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace—but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!
Question

Which information would be MOST HELPFUL to identify the social context of this passage?
Responses

A a description of the original audience, including nationality, race, gender, and classa description of the original audience, including nationality, race, gender, and class

B an unedited copy of the original speech, including the notes and feedback received after the speechan unedited copy of the original speech, including the notes and feedback received after the speech

C a detailed description of the author, including biographical information such as nationality and classa detailed description of the author, including biographical information such as nationality and class

D a description of the additional speeches and writings of Patrick Henry, including his memoirs and persuasive essays

A a description of the original audience, including nationality, race, gender, and class

Chocolate and Cocoa Recipes and Home-Made Candy Recipes

Miss Parloa
CHOCOLATE BISCUIT

Cover three large baking pans with paper that has been well-oiled with washed butter. Over these, dredge powdered sugar. Melt in a cup one ounce of Walter Baker & Co.'s Premium No. 1 Chocolate. Separate the whites and yolks of four eggs. Add to the yolks a generous half cupful of powdered sugar, and beat until light and firm. Add the melted chocolate, and beat a few minutes longer. Beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff, dry froth. Measure out three-fourths of a cupful of sifted flour, and stir it and the whites into the yolks. The whites and flour must be cut in as lightly as possible and with very little stirring. Drop the mixture in teaspoonfuls on the buttered paper. Sprinkle powdered sugar over the cakes, and bake in a slow oven for about fourteen or fifteen minutes. The mixture can be shaped like fingers if preferred.
Question

Which organizational method does the author use in this passage?
Responses

A cause/effectcause/effect

B compare/contrastcompare/contrast

C sequentialsequential

D spatial

C sequential

The Coded Letters

Lee Washington

1When Grandma asked me to help her clean her house, I knew it would be a big job. Grandma disliked disposing of things; she had accumulated so much stuff that she joked she needed a multitude of homes just to hold it all. Grandma told me that she had the capability to clean the kitchen on her own; she asked me to begin organizing the living room.

2The living room was luminous with sunlight as I sifted through the piles of paper on the desk. As I looked at a collection of magazines stacked on a shoebox, I began to wonder how many magazine subscriptions Grandmother had. When I attempted to slide the box out from under the magazines, it toppled on the floor with an audible crash and the lid fell ajar. Inside I found letters that were addressed to Grandma. They did not have much writing inside. Instead, they contained bizarre combinations of letters and numbers, such as BxNf6 and Rh4. I was baffled by the strange letters and pondered what the codes could mean.

3“How is everything going?” Grandma asked. She stepped into the room with soap covering her hands, indicating they had been submerged in water in the kitchen sink.

4I suddenly felt bashful. I hoped Grandma would not think I was being nosy, but I wanted to know about the letters. Luckily, Grandma noticed the letters first and was enthusiastic about them. Grandma wiped her hands on her apron and hurried over to where I was standing.

5“My correspondence chess letters!” Grandma interjected, picking up a few of them. “I was victorious in this game,” she said grandly, waving a letter at me.

6“When I first moved here, I kept in contact with an acquaintance from my university by playing chess with her through the mail.” said Grandma. Then, I asked about the codes. Grandma took a chessboard out of the closet and pointed to the black and white squares. She said each box had a number and a letter. Then she pulled out a small white figurine that resembled a castle tower. “This is called the rook. The code Rh4 means that my opponent moved her rook to this square,” Grandma said as she gestured toward a square on one side of the board. I was astounded as I imagined waiting days for a letter to continue the game.

7“These games were incredibly suspenseful, but we were never envious if the other person won the game,” Grandma explained. "I started our first game by writing the first letter. In it, I wrote the code to describe my first move. In all my subsequent letters, I made moves based on my opponent's moves." After our conversation, Grandma and I decided to begin our correspondence chess game when I returned home.
Question

Based on the suffix ity, what does the word capability mean?
Responses

A a way to become capablea way to become capable

B to make something capableto make something capable

C the study of being capablethe study of being capable

D the state of being capable

D the state of being capable