Reflection Blog Over Rationalism and Patrick Henry Speech

At first this reflection blog entry confused me. I didn't completely understand what you were wanting us to write about, but then i was able to put two and two together and figured it out. During the Rationalism time period, many people would talk rationally obviously. This mostly meant be down to earth and posing rational or reasonable questions. They would speak more in a question-like tone to answer questions than to come out with a straight answer. I think that a main reason they did this is because someone realized that if you do that you can trigger the human brain and then the person can answer their own questions. When they are able to do this they feel more accomplished and have a stronger confidence in their own self built up. It also makes them think which is good exercise for the human brain. It helps us feel good all around and not feel lazy. Patrick Henry's speech was a good speech and made sense during the time period simply because he proposed so many questions. Most of these questions were very interesting and brought up some good points and they were all rational and realistic.

Along with stating a lot of different questions, Patrick Henry said something so outrageous and so moving that to this day we still quote him in this speech. The ironic thing about what Patrick Henry said, was that everything else in his speech was rational and reasonable including what I am about to quote, but to most of the government officials what he says about what he wants is crazy talk and out of this world. Patrick Henry says, "Give me liberty or give me death!" This was crazy talk, because most of the people felt free or at least to an extent, but Henry says that he wants complete freedom and liberty in that he wants smaller or none taxes. He also says other things in this speech that are important, but not pertaining to the main point in this reflection blog. I find Patrick Henry's statement a fair statement in the fact that the taxes were fairly high, but not too out of the ball park to threaten your life over it. He was obviously bluffing, and did a great job at it. All in all, it is quite obvious that this played a major role in our everyday lives in America and we should thank Patrick Henry for having the courage to stand up against our government and show that everyone has the freedom of speech and can stick up for what they believe in. Although Patrick Henry's name isn't very common or popular to people, what he said on that day is known by most. Those seven words were what changed America and shaped the country to what it is today. They decided to believe him and were convinced that the people shouldn't have to suffer and try to pay a huge tax, yet they still needed to pay one. This is definitely fair and a great compromise between the two.

Henry, Patrick. "Speech to the Second Virginia Convention." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 97-99. Print.

Boucquey, Thierry, gen. ed. "rationalism." Encyclopedia of World Writers, 14th through 18th Centuries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2005. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 21 September 2011.