Vol. 06 · Misquoted ·Speech ·93 of 348
"Give me liberty, or give me death!"
They never said that.
What people say
"Give me liberty, or give me death!"
What was actually said
"I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!" Patrick Henry — St John's Church, Richmond, Virginia, 23 March 1775
Why it stuck
No stenographer was present. The wording is William Wirt's 1817 reconstruction in his Henry biography.
Know another line by heart?
Play the duel and see how many you can spot. Or browse the whole shelf.