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George Washington was born on February 22, 1732, as the son of a wealthy plantation owner. Though he didn’t have experience in the war, he quickly became in charge of the Virginia Militia. In 1774, he was a delegate in the First Continental Congress, and by the 2nd Continental Congress assembly, George Washington was the commander in chief of the Continental Army. He was a strong advocate for the freedom of the colonists, and fought for their independence from Britain. After reading Thomas Paine’s speech, one of the most impactful arguments from his speech was: “I call not upon a few, but upon all: not on this state or that state, but on every state: up and help us; lay your shoulders to the wheel; better have too much force than too little, when so great an object is at stake. Let it be told to the future world, that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive, that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet and to repulse it. “ This quote was impactful in a positive manner because through Paine’s use of emotional appeal, Washington is moved by the artful repetition, and believes that this will truly unify the troops as a family, not just as an army. Paine asks for all men to contribute, and rise to conquer their freedom at a high risk, though one that will have high rewards.

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Brothers and Sisters from all across the New World, the British are invading our holy land. The British are taking everything that we have, everything! All of our hard work, possessions, and the people that we call our own. I have lost my plantation, and my son I lost in one of the Battles in New York, I lost my job, and my everything. The majority of colonist, all of you, have experienced the same fate in which I have. Most of you have lost your homes, to the filthy redcoats that also dwell and fondle with all of our hard earned goods. I used to have a lot of hard earned power but it has been lost, however my spirit is still strong! If we all fight back with an equal effort we can overthrow them and take our possessions back. To 🤬 with the British!

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Charles Oliver is a 47 year old white male that lives in New York with his son. General George Washington had Paine’s words read out loud to his troops at McKonkey’s Ferry, right before they crossed the Delaware River. Paine had written the words during the army’s retreat from New York. Charles was previously a plantation owner who owned slaves until the British ransacked his plantation and pushed him out of New York. Before the British pushed him out he was neutral about whether or not he should rebel. George Washington’s speech encouraged Charles to fight against the British. Charles orders slaves at what used to be the plantation fight back due to there being no more fields left to work. “But if a thief break into my house, burn and destroy my property, and 🤬 or threaten to 🤬 me or those that are in it, and to “bind me in all cases whatsoever” to his absolute will, am I to suffer [permit] it? What signifies it to me whether he who does it is a King or a common man, my countryman or not my countryman? Whether it be done by an individual villain or an army of them? If we reason to the root of things we shall find no difference; neither can any just cause be assigned why we should punish in the one case and pardon in the other.” This quote has an emotional appeal to Charles because he too had his home broken into by the British, this causes Charles to write a speech encouraging colonists to fight back.

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Bernard William's response to Patrick Henry's speech

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Bernard William's response to Patrick Henry's speech

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“If someone, just about anyone, approached me at this moment to ask my opinion of the speech that Patrick Henry delivered to me and the rest of the audience, I would have to say that I was absolutely skeptical at first. The reason to that being I am a white, male who is superior to all others of different ethnicities. I believe I am privileged to the right to worry about my own well being, especially when it involves my own personal freedom and taking away my own slaves. When Patrick Henry stated, “ There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanging may be heard on the plains of Boston! . . . Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?”(Henry 103), he basically said if we did not get involved in the act of protest against England then are salves will in doubt be taken away and we will become one alongside of them, with our masters being the British. From my experience, I would despise being a slave, since they are responsible for doing our dirty work, our chores, our unwanted duties, and are treated with no respect, how tragic would that be if I, myself, were regarded of the same disrespect. This speech made me finally realize how essential unity is, that I would join in the fight for freedom. You musn’t sit around waiting for freedom like lazy pigs, we need to work together and fight for our civil rights! Our path to freedom starts with you!”(Bernard Williams).

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Gideon Francis is an American soldier stationed at McKonkey’s Ferry on the Delaware under Washington’s command. He has a poor family in Pennsylvania, which propelled him to resent the tax policies placed by the British Government and join the military in hopes of gaining more freedom for his people. He has a young son that he wishes to see grow into a liberated and strong man, free of the unfairness placed upon the colonies by the British rule and not have to endure the financial and societal strains that he is facing himself. His anger has been fueled for a long time from the cruelty of the King. The loss of the battle in New York City to the British was a very low point for Gideon and he was feeling defeated and hopeless. When Thomas Paine’s released The American Crisis in the Pennsylvania Journal, Gideon’s motivation was refreshed and he was ready to keep fighting for what he believed in and for the freedom and liberty for his new country and new life.

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George Washington's Response to Thomas Paine's Speech

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George Washington's Response to Thomas Paine's Speech

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My dear brethren, I was deeply moved by your beloved words from the first edition of The American Crisis. I support your movement to induce a sense of patriotism and inspire the colonists to rise up and join this cause for our great independence! We have worked hard to build this beautiful nation, and to work toward making it thrive in the name of our holy God! I sure know my men and I have been working hard to fight for this cause! I have the aspiration that many more men will strive to fight alongside us, and push past the fear that they may have from going against our wretched mother country, for if we all rise up and fight together, we may do great things. No fight can be won alone! The British have controlled us for as long as we know, though if they say they control us out of love, where is the love? All I feel is their control on us, watching our every move like criminals in a dark prison. My brave men have been pushing along as hard as they can, though I fear their strength may soon give! I believe that your inspiring essay will motivate them to push forward, and conquer their fears to fight until we get our desired results. Your essay was beautifully written and I commend you! I know they will relate deeply and feel an enormous sense of pride in our glorious home!

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Charlotte Ainsworth was one of the British nurses during the Revolutionary War who came over to the colonies in the Quartering Act of 1774. She assumed the role of a nurse, however, due to a shortage of men from previous sub-conflicts, she was needed as a spy. Because of her new role as an undercover “American” nurse, Miss Ainsworth was present during the speech near Delaware River before the Battle of Trenton. She had been almost utterly resolute in her beliefs that America was needed to stay a colony for its own benefit as well as for the British Government, however, one line from the speech moved her so deeply she resolved to change sides. This line goes as follows: “My own line of reasoning is to myself as straight and clear as a ray of light. Not all the treasures of the world, so far as I believe, could have induced me to support an offensive war, for I think it 🤬; but if a thief break into my house, burn and destroy my property, and 🤬 or threaten to 🤬 me, or those that are in it, and to ‘bind me in all cases whatsoever,’ to his absolute will, am I to suffer it?” (Paine).

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My fellow troops, we have endured a great deal of pain and we are slowly losing hope. Every man in this room has questioned what we are even fighting for anymore, and believe me, I was there myself. After hearing Thomas Paine’s The American Crisis, I was inspired and was reminded of what we are fighting for. For the good of this new country, and many generations after us, we should stand with Thomas Paine and everyone who follows the same views as both him and I.

We have constantly been mistreated by the British government; high taxes, harsh rules, and brutal attacks have become the new normal for this new world supposedly full of hope. What some of you may not realize is that we have a fighting chance against the British, and although many of our fellow troops have given up their fight, I will not, for having only one soldier fighting against the British would be better than none at all. I ask you men to stand with me and our General Washington: keep pushing through the hardships and don’t forget what we are here fighting for.

I miss my family as much as the next man, but I know that I am fighting not only for this country, but for them as well. I want my son to live in a free country; free of worry, free of unfair taxes, free to live as an independent man. Do you want your children to grow up in these same conditions as we are in right now? Being treated like some lower class citizen, privacy always being invaded, afraid to even speak one’s self opinion? As a parent myself, I can imagine this is certainly the opposite of what you all want for your next family generation. Yes, you could throw in the towel and go home and spend time with your loved ones, but we are the ones who have the capability of bringing this new hope and better life to them. It is us who have to fight and push through because if we don’t, who will?

So once again, I ask you men to stand with me: with General Washington: with Thomas Paine: with everyone who came to the new world for a new life. The fight is not over, we are not defeated yet. With every man in this room rebelling and fighting we can win. We can overthrow the Tories, and America can be the land of the free once and for all. To stand with me, or to not stand with me, I will continue fighting for my family, for my beliefs, and for my country. It is now every individual’s decision to let a few men go out and fight by themselves and die on the battlefield, or to stand tall and strong as an united group and overthrow the cruelty of the King. The future of this country lies in your hands.

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You speak of giving up? Of leaving your freedom to be trampled by the feet of those who claim to be your Almighty leader? They deliver injustice time and time again, yet you utter words of doubt! What folly of you!

But aside from the foolishness of your words, I see your perspective as comprehensible. These soldiers, in lines of bloody red, have proven to vastly outnumber you. Their training has demonstrated an authoritative expertise over your impromptu ranks.

But nevertheless, you are matched with the “cunning fox” and have proven your worth in grisly battle.  The British underestimate your resilience, your passion, your fervor! They do not see a vision of unity within these colonies; they only see you as slaves to their selfish needs.

The British have brandished their weapons against brethren. They have dampened their swords with your blood; they have violated your homes; they have slaughtered your livestock; they have stolen your very being! They lust over your life and covet it, and yet you still cower for fear of becoming possessed!

My outlook has been challenged; my soul was in conflict for many ‘a day. But nonetheless, my yearning for justice overshadows the pleasure of faultlessness. In my heart, those who wish to “bind you in all cases whatsoever,” to seize your very being and steal your will, have proven themselves to be culpable of tyranny.

You proclaim a sense of failure, yet have you not considered the fact that I too am oppressed, yet in a different sense? Your voice can echo throughout worlds, and I suggest that you exercise this privilege, for some, like I, are compelled to stay mute.

It will be a cold day in 🤬 before we kneel in submission before the Crown and beg for our blood not to drench his sword!

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John Chambers was born in December of 1735 and died in August of 1795. John Chambers was a Governor of Virginia. With his wife, Mercy and his two children, Mary Chambers and Charles. His family was very respected among the Virginian community, he was born in England and moved down to the Americas as a child with his mother, Honour Chambers. Chambers attended Patrick Henry’s speech at the Virginia convention. He was loyal to the British king and did not support Patrick Henry’s fight in separating from Great Britain, so he became a loyalist at the beginning in supporting the British King’s rule over the colonists. Eventually, however, through much persuasion, he began to believe that fighting the British King could bring about a positive change in the America’s and free the colonists from the corrupt mother country, Great Britain.

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John Chambers was loyal to the king of Great Britain. He believed that the king was a good ruler. “My fellow colonists, I urge you not to revolt against our mighty king who has provided for us and protected us throughout all these long and harsh years. Our king has provided us with a balanced and structured economy, and he has given us the resources that we need to sustain ourselves. I believe that as long as we stay under the king’s rule, our economy will thrive and flourish even during tough times. The taxes that you pay, are what makes our country more powerful. Our country would not be where it is without our king’s provisions supported by the taxes you pay. Are you willing to listen to this man who has challenged our king and committed treason? I tell you, do not let this man deceive you in making you believe the king does not care about us! If the king did not care about us, we would have perished a long time ago!”

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Bio:

John is a 55 year old white man who lives in Charleston, South Carolina. He’s married to Lynn Byrnes of North Carolina whose father is a infamous slave trader. He unfortunately has only one son due to Lynns infertility. They own a 100 acre plantation. They have many tobacco fields that they make their biggest profit off of. John has a raging Sciatica nerve that makes him immobile most of the day. He grew up in England with a middle class family and bargained his way on a ship to the new colonies. He met Lynn on the ship as he cleaned her quarters, he knew if he were to have any chance at surviving in the new world, he had to marry her. When he heard of the new world he made it his mission to participate in the founding of the grounds. He needed a way out of England and away from the troubling times. When Patrick Henry made his stand in the convention against England, he knew he needed to help fight.

Response:

Patrick Henry spoke at the convention today. Out of the many speeches I heard, Patrick Henry’s was the most moving. Prior to the convention in Richmond, I knew that I wanted to get away from the rule of Great Britain. The independent council has had ideas against England for the past 5 years. When we finally got on the boat to leave England, we knew that it was going to be our only goal to separate completely from the king’s rule. I was most moved when Patrick Henry said, “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.” I agree with this point because I do not appreciate England making me feel like I am a slave of their nation. I risked my relationship, my family and my job in england to come to the new world and start a new life. I understand what everyone has been through and am fed up with the taxes and the exports to help England keep its rich way of life. We need to stand up for what we believe in and take what is rightfully ours. I am just like all of you and I am willing to make the change for my family and for this new world. Patrick Henry has spoken nothing but the truth.The word of revolution as travelled overseas, and they plan to intimidate us until they take further action. For no other reason would they waste the resources and time to send armies and war ships to the new world. I say “STAND UP FOR OUR COLONIES.” We who had the ultimate courage to journey to a desolate land are more braver than the English government that sends fleets to scare us into submission. They have entirely underestimated the colonies. Now that we are on our own we have a growing need for independence, and we plan to take action.

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Our speaker is Andre White, a young slave that joined the war because his master promised his freedom papers, but ONLY IF he would fight on the side of the patriots; AND he got 5 generals to write a paper saying he genuinely fought and recommending him to get his freedom papers. However he knows this is highly unlikely and he doesn’t have any real motivation to fight in the war. He fought in the war for months dragging into years. Only to hear that the British promised freedom to all slaves who would fight on their side. Becoming genuinely loyal to the cause of American patriotism, when he heard this offer he only thought it was a silly rumour and he didn’t think twice about it. He heard the speech from the great General George Washington on the way to fight in a battle. The part of the speech talking about slaves was the most impactful for Andre, because of the hypocritical double standards white patriots present. ”... but "to BIND us in ALL CASES WHATSOEVER" and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, then is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is impious; for so unlimited a power can belong only to God.” is the part that really affected him.

At this point I dont even care about the freedom or fate of this here wicked country! Now I know y’all done heard  that the British will give freedom to all us slaves who will turn to them. White men that don’t even own us will make us FREE if we turn against the white man that beats us, whips us...whip us in spite when we grow the crops that feed those very mouths, those mouths that turn back and curse us. Thomas Paine’s speech about how no man ain’t no slave, how we ought’ to fight to not be enslaved! The white men here ain’t no slave! They ain’t know nuffin’ bout’ what slavery is. What I am trying to say now is that if we fight for freedom of this very country that was built on the economy that WE….”NIGGERS” supply, the money WE provide, we be fightin’ to give them the freedom to take ours away. We be fightin’ for them to have the right to break up families, beat us, whip us, rape our wives and daughters, hang our sons and fathers. So maybe us colored folks should take a note from Mr.Paine and fight for our freedom! Become free! We ain’t no “Sunshine Patriot” or no “Summer Soldier”. We men! Fightin’ for the same freedom them people up there fightin’ fo’. “...for so unlimited a power can belong ONLY to God.”. Think about it, without us these crackers wouldn’t have 🤬! No food! Nothing to trade and sell! Not even the knowledge to to grow their prized “cash crops”, crops that are worth more than No one to take care of and raise their own churen’.  Yet they think they can run this country and ought’ to  be free. They don’t deserve that! So please, don’t fight with the English! Us colored men need to lay down our arms and switch to their side when we get the chance!

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Our speaker is Thomas Walter, a Virginian statesman. A man from Williamsburg, he had garnered considerable amounts of influence in the middle colonies. He had no desire of breaking away up until the Boston blockade of 1773, which had angered him and his clique, many of which were wealthy tradesmen. He had been invited as a guest at the Virginia Convention to When Patrick Henry took the stage, he saw a man who had a been the first governor of Virginia, a man who was intuitive. Soon after the speech by Patrick Henry had been given, Thomas Walter knew in his hard of hearts that if liberty had not been given then then he is as good as dead.

Gentlemen, all of you are here for one purpose. Independence. Independence from Britain, which has put taxes when they told us that the crown would bear all costs of the war. Do you all want to be under control of Britain? Do you want to teach your children of British ideals not of your own ideals? Why pay taxes to a country which neglected us? Why do we stand here and not fight the British, the men in Boston are suffering as we speak and idle here.

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Bernard Williams is a white, heavy set man in the audience, listening to Patrick Henry deliver The Speech to the Virginia Convention. Bernard is an old common citizen who takes everything in his life for granted and gets everything given to him without question, who is also a very selfish, conceited male. Before the speech by Patrick Henry, Bernard’s views were much different, he had a change of heart after he heard the motivating pep-talk. Knowing that Bernard is a slave owner who orders people around to do his dirty work, he obviously did not want to get involved in the fight for independence against the British and their king. One important quote that changed Bernards views of not getting involved is when Patrick Henry states, “ There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanging may be heard on the plains of Boston! . . . Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?”(Henry 103). When Henry said this, he understood that his audience was full of slave owners and people who supported the issue, so the fact that he mentioned that those people could potentially become the slaves they own, this angered them because they didn’t want to live the way they treated and ordered around their own slaves.