Speech to the Second Virginia Convention

Henry’s speech is argumentative. He asserts that the colonists should mobilize for war and uses evidence and rhetoric to support that claim.

It is not until the third paragraph that Henry states his argument directly. He opens with disclaimers about not wanting to offend anyone in the audience and rhetorical questions about wisdom and courage. This potentially established trust, mutual respect, and common ground between Henry and his audience before Henry explicitly stated what he anticipated would be a controversial position.

Though Henry approaches his main argument from many angles, he eventually states it concisely in the second half of the speech, at the very end of the third paragraph. Furthermore, he repeats it: “If we wish to be free […] we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight!” (Paragraph 3). After making this statement, Henry returns to rhetorical questions and motivational sentiments, telling the colonists that they can succeed in taking up arms against a more powerful and trained army. This approach cushions the argument in a speech intended not only to inform an audience but emotionally move it toward action.