0 s . ▁Patrick ▁Henry ▁is ▁best ▁known ▁for ▁the ▁speech ▁he ▁made ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Burg esses ▁on ▁March ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 1 7 7 5 , ▁in ▁Saint ▁John ' s ▁Church ▁in ▁Richmond , ▁Virginia . ▁With ▁the ▁House ▁und ec ided ▁on ▁whether ▁to ▁mobil ize ▁for ▁military ▁action ▁against ▁the ▁enc ro aching ▁British ▁military ▁force , ▁Henry ▁argued ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁mobil ization . ▁Fort y - two ▁years ▁later , ▁Henry ' s ▁first ▁bi ograph er , ▁William ▁W irt , ▁working ▁from ▁or al ▁histor ies , ▁tried ▁to ▁re construct ▁what ▁Henry ▁said . ▁According ▁to ▁W irt , ▁Henry ▁ended ▁his ▁speech ▁with ▁words ▁that ▁have ▁since ▁become ▁imm ort al ized : ▁" I ▁know ▁not ▁what ▁course ▁others ▁may ▁take ; ▁but ▁as ▁for ▁me , ▁Give ▁me ▁Liber ty , ▁or ▁give ▁me ▁Death !" ▁The ▁crowd , ▁by ▁W irt ' s ▁account , ▁jump ed ▁up ▁and ▁shout ed ▁" To ▁Ar ms ! ▁To ▁Ar ms ! ". ▁For ▁ 1 6 0   year s ▁W irt ' s ▁account ▁was ▁taken ▁at ▁face ▁value . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁histor ians ▁began ▁to ▁question ▁the ▁authentic ity ▁of ▁W irt ' s ▁reconst ruction . ▁ ▁B ets y ▁Ross ▁B ets y ▁Ross ▁( J anu ary ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 7 5 2 ▁– ▁January ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 8 3