The phrase "Give me liberty or give me death!" is famously attributed to Patrick Henry. He said it during a speech at the Second Virginia Convention on March 23, 1775, at St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia. This speech was a pivotal moment leading up to the American Revolutionary War, as Henry aimed to convince the Virginia delegates to prepare for armed conflict against British rule. Although some historians debate whether Henry used these exact words, the phrase has endured as a powerful symbol of the American fight for freedom.