Battle of Thermopylae in the Persian Wars

The Battle of Thermopylae is believed to have been fought in August 480 BC, during the Persian Wars (499 BC-449 BC). Having been turned back at Marathon in 490 BC, Persian forces returned to Greece ten years later to avenge their defeat and conquer the peninsula. Responding, an alliance of Greek city-states, led by Athens and Sparta, assembled a fleet and an army to oppose the invaders. While the former engaged the Persians at Artemisium, the latter assumed a defensive position at the narrow Pass of Thermopylae. At Thermopylae, the Greeks blocked the pass and beat back Persian assaults for two days. On the third, the Persians were able to flank the Greek position after being a shown a mountain path by a Trachinian traitor named Ephialtes. While the bulk of the Greek army retreated, a force of 300 Spartans led by Leonidas I as well as 400 Thebans and 700 Thespians remained to cover the withdrawal. Attacked by the Persians, the Spartans and Thespians famously fought to the death. Advancing south after their victory, the Persians captured Athens before being defeated at Salamis that September. Background Having been turned back by the Greeks in 490 BC at the Battle of Marathon, the Persians elected to begin preparing a larger expedition to subjugate Greece. Initially planned by Emperor Darius I, the mission fell to his son Xerxes when he died in 486. Intended as a full-scale invasion, the task of assembling the necessary troops and supplies consumed several years. Marching from Asia Minor, Xerxes intended to bridge the Hellespont and advance on Greece through Thrace. The army was to be supported by a large fleet which would move along the coast. As a previous Persian fleet had been wrecked off Mount Athos, Xerxes intended to build a canal across the mountains isthmus. Learning of Persian intentions, the Greek city-states began making preparations for war. Though possessing a weak army, Athens commenced building a large fleet of triremes under the guidance of Themistocles. In 481, Xerxes demanded tribute from the Greeks in an effort to avoid war. This was refused and the Greeks met that fall to form an alliance of the city-states under the leadership of Athens and Sparta. United, this congress would have the power to dispatch troops to defend the region. Greek Plans With war nearing, the Greek congress met again in the spring of 480. In the discussions, the Thessalians recommended establishing a defensive position at the Vale of Tempe to block the Persians advance. This was vetoed after Alexander I of Macedon informed the group that the position could be flanked through the Sarantoporo Pass. Receiving news that Xerxes had crossed the Hellespont, a second strategy was put forward by Themistocles which called for making at stand at the pass of Thermopylae. A narrow passage, with a cliff on one side and the sea on the other, the pass was the gateway to southern Greece. Battle of Thermopylae Conflict: Persian Wars (499-449 BC)Dates: 480 BCArmies Commanders:PersiansXerxesMardoniusapprox. 70,000GreeksLeonidas IDemophilusThemistoclesapprox. 5,200-11,200 menCasualties:Greeks: approx. 4,000 (Herodotus)Persians: approx. 20,000 (Herodotus) The Greeks Move This approach was agreed to as it would negate the Persians overwhelming numerical superiority and the Greek fleet could provide support in the Straits of Artemisium. In August, word reached the Greeks that the Persian army was nearing. The timing proved problematic for the Spartans as it coincided with the feast of Carneia and the Olympic truce. Though the de facto leaders of the alliance, the Spartans were prohibited from engaging in military activity during these celebrations. Meeting, the leaders of Sparta decided that the situation was significantly urgent to dispatch troops under one of their kings, Leonidas. Moving north with 300 men from the royal guard, Leonidas gathered additional troops en route to Thermopylae. Arriving, he elected to establish a position at the middle gate where the pass was the narrowest and the Phocians had previously built a wall. Alerted that a mountain trail existed that could flank the position, Leonidas dispatched 1,000 Phocians to guard it. In mid-August, the Persian army was sighted across the Malian Gulf. Sending an emissary to negotiate with the Greeks, Xerxes offered freedom and better land in return for their obedience (Map). Fighting at the Pass Refusing this offer, the Greeks were then ordered to lay down their weapons. To this Leonidas reputedly replied, Come and get them. This reply made battle inevitable, though Xerxes took no action for four days. The constricted topography of Thermopylae was ideal for a defensive stand by the armored Greek hoplites as they could not be flanked and the more lightly armed Persians would be forced into a frontal assault. On the morning of the fifth day, Xerxes sent troops against Leonidas position with the goal of capturing the Allied army. Approaching, they had little choice but to attack the Greeks. Fighting in a tight phalanx in front of the Phocian wall, the Greeks inflicted massive losses on the attackers. As the Persians kept coming, Leonidas rotated units through the front to prevent fatigue. With the failure of the first assaults, Xerxes ordered an attack by his elite Immortals later in the day. Surging forward, they fared no better and were unable to move the Greeks. The next day, believing that the Greeks had been significantly weakened by their exertions, Xerxes attacked again. As on the first day, these efforts were turned back with heavy casualties. A Traitor Turns the Tide As a the second day was coming to a close, a Trachinian traitor named Ephialtes arrived in Xerxes camp and informed the Persian leader about the mountain trail around the pass. Taking advantage of this information, Xerxes ordered Hydarnes to take a large force, including the Immortals, on a flanking march over the trail. At daybreak on the third day, the Phocians guarding the path were stunned to see the advancing Persians. Attempting to make a stand, they formed on a nearby hill but were bypassed by Hydarnes. Alerted to the betrayal by a Phocian runner, Leonidas called a council of war. While most favored an immediate retreat, Leonidas decided to stay at the pass with his 300 Spartans. They were joined by 400 Thebans and 700 Thespians, while the remainder of the army fell back. While there are many theories regarding Leonidas choice, including the idea that Spartans never retreated, it was most likely a strategic decision as a rearguard was necessary to prevent the Persian cavalry from running down the retreating army. As the morning progressed, Xerxes began another frontal assault on the pass. Pushing forward, the Greeks met this attack at a wider point in the pass with the goal of inflicting maximum losses on the enemy. Fighting to the last, the battle saw Leonidas killed and the two sides struggle for his body. Increasingly overwhelmed, the surviving Greeks fell back behind the wall and made a last stand on a small hill. While the Thebans ultimately surrendered, the other Greeks fought to the death. With the elimination of Leonidas remaining force, the Persians claimed the pass and opened the road into southern Greece. Aftermath Casualties for the Battle of Thermopylae are not known with any certainty, but may have been as high as 20,000 for the Persians and around 2,000-4,000 for the Greeks. With the defeat on land, the Greek fleet withdrew south after the Battle of Artemisium. As the Persians advanced south, capturing Athens, the remaining Greek troops began fortifying the Isthmus of Corinth with the fleet in support. In September, Themistocles succeeded in winning a critical naval victory at the Battle of Salamis which forced the bulk of Persian troops to withdraw back to Asia. The invasion was brought to an end the following year after the Greek victory at the Battle of Plataea. One of the most famous battles of this time period, the story of Thermopylae has been recounted in numerous books and films through the years.

Sins of Hester Prynne, Reverend Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth in The Scarlet Letter - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2139 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2019/05/18 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: The Scarlet Letter Essay Did you like this example? Throughout the story, it is common that sinners are able to recognize this also among other sinners as displayed by Hester, Dimmesdale, Hibbins, and Chillingworth. One example of how this is shown is when Hester says, Something that would make me weep-if there were any tears bitter enough for it. But let it pass! It is of another miserable man that I would speak. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Sins of Hester Prynne, Reverend Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth in The Scarlet Letter" essay for you Create order Hester sees how Dimmesdale has sinned as she too is a sinner. Chillingworth has this same ability at which he says of Dimmesdale, I now see pious Master Dimmesdale has done a wild thing before in the hot passion of his heart-and I will discover it. Mistress Hibbins says to Hester Will you go with us tonight? There will be a merry company in the forest, and I would love to tell the Black Man that comely Hester Prynne should be with us. I do not agree with this in real life. In life, it is observing others and comparison to our own conscience which brings the ability to view a sinner within someone. It is a matter of experience in life, not experience in sin. While in real life the purposeful harm of another person is immoral, we cannot say that Hesters adultery wronged Chillingworth in that neither of them believed him to be alive. The actions of Chillingworth were worse in that he knowingly made a choice to harm both Hester and Dimmesdale. Within the story, the narrator states his opinion of Hesters adultery to be a horrible sin and states a woman should atone to her sins. This being said, the narrator takes a new tone after the meeting in the forest by explaining how the adultery was an act of love since Hester believed her husband to be dead. The narrator is of two minds in that the action itself is immoral, however, the reason for the action isnt. Being honest is the best way to admit ones faults in that one is accepting these faults and not attempting to hide them any further. An honest person is easier to forgive as they have made a conscious choice to come clean about their actions instead of attempting to hide it. Admitting fault should not ab ea public matter, however, it is the best route to forgiveness. The Scarlet Letter is very clearly proto-feminist. The most characteristic quote from the story is Hesters indignation and unwilling to let her shunning define her. Part 3 displays this when Hester helps a sick man who thanks her by stating, I can never repay your kindnessWhat a women of strength. That lettermust stand for able. Hester is strongly feminist as she stands up against the beliefs of her society and does not let others define her as a person. The Puritans greatly exemplify the concept of hypocrisy. To begin with, the Puritans gave Hester an incredibly harsh punishment for adultery: the scarlet letter even though many of the Puritans committed similar or worse sins however, they were not caught and punished, escaping their sin without any punishment. The society calls for strict religious punishment however they are unwilling to enact this punishment when faced with it themselves. Many examples of this are present in the story. The main example of this was how Dimmesdale condemned Hester for her crimes even though he was the individual she had her affair with. This perfectly exemplifies the hippocratic nature of the society in that even the individual who was chiefly responsible for pushing such strict and fundamentalist punishments even had his own skeletons in the closet. It was not until this guilt drove him crazy that he finally admitted this to the society and afterwards perished. Hawthorne seems to more focus on the impact of Hesters sin rather than the advent of it in itself. Hawthorne seems to condemn all sin with no redemption. Even as we see Hester later on, she still wears the badge of her sin. No matter what she does, she still continues to wear this badge almost signifying how there is no retribution for her sins. This ties in with the Christian belief that the only way for one to redeem their sin is at Gods discretion on judgement day. In accepting Hester with all of her sins, the Puritans are rejecting their initial judgement of her based on their religious beliefs. At first, Hester was ostracized from society as a result of her sin. In spite of this, Hester continues to contribute to society and is eventually forgiven for her crime. This acceptance shows the Puritans actually momentarily stepping away from their devout Christianity, the Puritans are accepting humanity is not perfect and that mistakes happen. When accepting the faults of others, we acknowledge humans are not perfect and that sympathy and understanding are very important considerations. When we forgive people, we accept their mistakes and also accept we are also susceptible to those own mistakes. When we forgive people, we act with compassion and accept the person as they are. The feminist lens can be used to explain the differences present between Hester and Chillingworth. Chillingworth, Hesters husband was portrayed as cold, often disconnected. He expected comfort and affection from Hester while not reciprocating. This stress led to Hester cheating on him with Dimmesdale. Following this, Hester was condemned as a sinner while Chillingworth faced no punishment. We can see through the feminist lens how this injustice exists in that women were expected to be loyal to their husbands no matter the circumstances of their marriage or how cruel their husbands may be. The marxist lens is also applicable in that Dimmesdale was able to escape his punishment by being high ranking in society. He was able to utilise his influence over the town to escape suspicion and cowardly utilise Hester as his scapegoat. To expand, we can see how higher ranking officials control lower ranking individuals in order to protect themselves. Macbeth In Macbeth, women have a very small role and seem to be controlling things from the sidelines. For example, Lady Macbeth, while not doing very much herself, convinced Macbeth to kill King Duncan, starting the plot of the entire story. In Macbeth, women play a role of whispering into the ear of the men. Lady Macbeth seems to use femininity as a method to gain trust and sit in the sidelines of the story. This being said, she is anything but feminine throughout the story. Lady Macbeth is a very strong character who pushes Macbeth to make tough decisions and forces him to be strong. This applies to the feminist lens by showing how even in a play written in the 17th century, women are portrayed as having a mind of their own and are less subservient to their male counterparts. Macduff sees manliness as seeing things that were most precious to him and understanding they died at his fault. Malcolm sees manliness as taking revenge on Macbeth for killing Macduffs family. This contradicts with Malcolms earlier description of himself in that he has all but given up after Macbeth had taken his fathers throne and was prepared to not fight back. Macbeth espouses this definition earlier in the play by believing action was needed to solidify his throne and he cannot sit idly by while fate states he is holding a fruitless crown. Macbeths supposed manliness reduced his humanity by leading him down a dark path of murder and deception to try and hold onto his crown as tightly as possible. The play suggests a true man is willing to take action to get what he wants and will take the blame for things which are his fault. By far, the character who best fits this is Macduff. The most significant reference to blood within the play was after the murder of Duncan where Macbeth questions Will all great Neptunes ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? (II. ii. 78). To Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, blood represents the guilt and all the darkness which rose them to a position of power. At the beginning of The Tragedy of Macbeth, Macbeth is a well known and liked Thane with strong loyalty to the crown. After the advent of the prophecy, Macbeth dismisses it, belieing fate will lead to his rule and would never consider killing the king. This is not the archetype of a standard villain. Macbeth simply became who he became as a result of circumstance and pressure from his wife. Among many positive character traits, Macbeths primary flaw is ambition which takes over as soon as he gets a small taste of power. I sympathize strongly with Macbeth. His overreaching ambition and susceptibility to suggestion brought great darkness into his being converting him to an evil character. I feel strong pity for such a man. He was a noble member of the Scottish nobility until the witches turned him down a pather of madness and senseless violence portrayed in the brutal and cruel murder of Macduffs family simply on a whim to hold power. The forces determining the destiny of Macbeth are the intentions of the witches and Macbeths ambitions. The witches were the catalyst for the downfall of Macbeth, however if Macbeth was not as power-hungry as he was, the witches would not have had as much of an effect as they would have. Fate played small parts in this also, by pairing the witches with a subject so unfortunately susceptible to their manipulations. The best supporting factor of this are the apparitions which appear to Macbeth, leading to him conducting many atrocities such as killing the entire family of Macduff. Throughout the story, Duncan is more noble than Macbeth: gifting those who performed well positions within the ranks of the nobility, thus being Macbeths nobility. Malcolm cared much about loyalty, showing another positive aspect. The King of England was holy, showing what Macbeth lacked as a result of his ambition. Banquo was his moral compass, attempting to make Macbeth make better decisions. The Thane of Cawdor was the power and darkness which was within Macbeth. By utilisation of the readers response lense, I conclude I am satisfied by the ending to this play. It effectively completes the story of Macbeth having been turned corrupt by the appeal of power. Macbeths saying, I have no words. My voice is in my sword, thou bloodier villain than terms can give thee out, portray the demise of Macbeth: his overconfidence and power. Macbeth exemplifies the danger of power and overconfidence. This ending well displays this and finalizes the story. My favorite scene portrayed within The Tragedy of Macbeth was the tragic and fatal realisation that Macduff was the product of a early form of a c-section. Leading up to this, Macbeths ego had grown astronomically to the point where Macbeth left his castle alone under the belief he could not be killed by a man born by a woman. Unfortunately for him, Macduff was from his mothers womb, untimely ripped. This is a very memorable scene as it is a simple and unfortunate loophole to a statement which shows Shakespeares comical ability to write and adds personality to the piece. The most important theme of Macbeth is how power tends to corrupt and absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely. Macbeth, a noble and true servant to the crown fell down an incredibly dark path due to the allure of power. Desperate and insatiable need to grasp this power demolished the morals of this once great man, leaving him a shell of his former greatness. Over the course of the play, my emotions moved from an uninterested and indifferent appreciation for the decisions of Macbeth to disgust, then to pity. At the beginning, I had little investment in Macbeth as a character, however, I respected him as a loyal servant to the king. After his killing of King Duncan, my emotions quickly shifted to a state of disgust in that he murdered a good man who trusted him and was a guest in his own home. This being said, as the story progressed and I understood the incredibly unfortunate tragedy of Macbeths circumstances, I began to feel a deep pity and sadness for how a man with such a promising future fell so far so quickly. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth perfectly compliment one another as the story progresses. At the beginning, Macbeth was struggling to cling to his morals and incredibly hesitant about killing the king, however it was Lady Macbeths thirst for power which prompted the advent of that terrible act. After this, however, Macbeth became incredibly power crazy, essentially trading spots with the now regretful Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth in the end becomes increasingly worried as to the path her husband had taken and this crescendos to a final act of Lady Macbeth committing suicide.

Steroid Use Of Sports On Sports - 1237 Words

Joe Butts Mrs. Gallos English 3H 2 May 2016 Steroid use in Sports Steroid use in sports has became a large factor of impact in the sports world today. Everyone has their own opinion on it. They either enjoy watching athletes be ridiculously good at their sport, and they find it entertaining, or they like to see athletes play by the rules. Steroid use is a big part of most sports, mostly baseball. Most records held by the greatest of baseball players used steroids. Steroid usage has many negative effects. Even a few that can be life threatening. Some people think that making it legal in sports will make more people want to watch and more money will come to the sport. There are many different opinions for this substance, and not all of them are agreeable either. Taking drugs to get an advantage in a sport has increased in teens through the years. This is very dangerous for those teens who take them because the effects that follow, especially when someone takes them at such a young age. †White- and blue-collar wo rkers, females and, most alarmingly, adolescents take steroids -- all linked by the desire to hopefully look, perform and feel better, regardless of the dangers†(Walder) . Steroid use in women has also increased. It causes women to have deeper voices and lose breast development. The only reason someone would think of a woman taking steroids, other than sports, would be if they lifted a lot of weights as a bodybuilder. Men and young adolescent boys who take steroidsShow MoreRelatedSteroid Use in Sports1732 Words   |  7 Pagesten to fifteen percent of professional athletes use illegal steroids which are also known as performance enhancing drugs. These substances which are banned in professional sports aren’t just any type of steroid or drug. They are called anabolic steroids or performance enhancing drugs, and they are synthetically produced substances of male testosterone hormones. The use of these illegal steroids has garnered a lot of publicity within the world of s ports over the past few years. As athletes continueRead MoreUse Of Steroids For Sports Athletes1684 Words   |  7 PagesThe Use of Steroids in Sports Imagine yourself as a young professional athlete, who has been suffering from constant injuries. Physical therapy might help the injury heal but the time being wasted also plays a major factor. Your doctor and physician eventually bring up the conversation of early retirement unless you can show them that you’re capable of returning to your natural ways. Realizing that your career could be here today and gone tomorrow is something that every athlete thinks about. SuddenlyRead MoreSteroid Use Sports : Steroids Should Not Be Banned2008 Words   |  9 PagesSteroid use in sports When it comes to the topic of steroid use in sports, some of us will agree that it is a debatable topic. Where this argument usually ends, however, is on the question of whether or not it is cheating to use steroids while in a sport. Whereas some are convinced that it is not cheating due to the benefits it provides towards muscle growth and repair, others maintain their belief that it is a form of cheating because of the regulations that have been acted upon it. I agree thatRead MoreEssay about The Use of Steroids in Sports1299 Words   |  6 Pagescharacteristic associated sports. So much attention, time, and money are devoted to sports these days, maybe even too much. Perhaps all the pressure is what has sparked steroid use in sports and stimulated numerous controversies over the subject. The use of steroids is an unfair training method for sports. Unfairness is contrary to laws, marked by deception, and unethical. When the legality, lack of work and advantageousness, and cheating are examined it is easy to see how steroids are extremely unfairRead MoreAnabolic Steroid Use in Sports Summary1493 Words   |  6 PagesAnabolic Steroid use in Sports The competitive drive to win at all cost is fierce among athletes. Winning at all cost often includes using one of many performance enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids. Many athletes use performance enhancing drugs, like steroids, to achieve higher goals and set higher records than other drug-free successful athletes. Although athletes are performing at higher levels when using such drugs, what is the cost? Finally anabolic steroids should remain bannedRead MoreThe Use of Steroids in Professional Sports Essay1499 Words   |  6 PagesThe Use of Steroids in Professional Sports They’re among the world’s most controversial drugs. Not Heroin, Ganja, Coke or Crystal Meth, but Anabolic Steroids. Steroids are medical treatments that come in two varieties: Anabolic Steroids and Corticosteroids. These are both synthetic versions of hormones produced naturally in the body but they perform two completely different tasks. Corticosteroids are used by doctors to decrease inflammation. Anabolic Steroids are the familiar term for the syntheticRead MoreEssay about Use of Steroids in Sports1559 Words   |  7 PagesAs the use of performance enhancing drugs is becoming more popular among athletes, many of them dont understand the risks involved in taking these drugs. Many people are looking for a quick way to build muscle, or to get stronger the fastest way possible. Using these performance aids may very well be a quick fix for many athletes, but taking these supplements is unethical and dangerous. Using special drugs to boost an athletes performance is degr ading to sports and to the athlete. The human bodyRead More The Use of Steroids and Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sports1507 Words   |  7 PagesI have chosen to write my paper on the topic of steroids and performance enhancing substances that are used today in sports. In this paper I hope to focus on the steroids and performance enhancing drugs and how they have become a problem in sports.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An anabolic steroid is a substance that is related to male sex hormones, known as testosterone. The word â€Å"Anabolic† means muscle building. The word â€Å"steroids† is just referred to as a drug name or a class of drug. Some athletes have made the decisionRead More Steroid Use in Pro Sports is Unethical Essay1296 Words   |  6 Pages   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When you were a kid, didn’t you want to play a professional sport? What would you give to be one of the best athletes in the world? Would you risk your reputation? Your health? Would you be willing to die? Although many studies have come out saying that steroids diminish one’s health, people still take them hoping to be the best. Imagine if you were a 28 year old who left college early because a pro team â€Å"guaranteed† you that you would play in the big leagues. Yet you just got stuck inRead MoreThe Use of Steroids is Banned in Professional and Organiz ed Sports533 Words   |  2 PagesFormer NFL superstar and Hall of Famer, Lawrence Taylor once said, â€Å"Steroids are for guys who want to cheat opponents.† The use of steroids is banned in professional and organized sports. Performance enhancing drugs should not be accepted in professional sports. Performance enhancing drugs also known as PED’s, violate rules, give players an unfair advantage, and send a terrible message to young athletes. There are many types of PED’s but the main two are Lean Mass Builders and Stimulants. Lean mass

To Arms free essay sample

I cant help but wonder what this country would be like if we didnt have great leaders such as Benjamin Franklin, Patrick Henry, and Thomas Jefferson. The Declaration of Independence would have never been written and we would probably still be under the thumb of the British Empire. Our lives would not be the same. We would not have the right to freedom, liberty or Justice. All decisions would probably be made for each of us. Benjamin Franklin would not have shown us the way to a better life, there would not have been a Continental congress, or Thomas Jefferson would not have Ritter the Declaration of independence.I think at times all people take advantage of the freedom and liberty we do have. The fact is that all of these leaders had one agenda to be released from the British and have their own government decided by the people. We will write a custom essay sample on To Arms or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Benjamin Franklin, The Second Continental Congress, and Thomas Jefferson made a great impact on our lives today. First, Benjamin Franklins autobiography seemed to be a replication on his life. A kind of self-reflection on accomplishments and mistakes made in his youth. He wanted to try and help his son come successful, and he thought what better way to demonstrate success than to write about his own successful life.Benjamin Franklins portrayal of himself, was not to revel on his accomplishments, instead, the tone is one of self-awareness and personal satisfaction. He believed his autobiography did not serve so much to enlighten himself but to provide an object lesson for the readers. He confesses that he has made many mistakes during his life that he craved he could correct, but he often shows how he succeeded and reached his present state in society. He believed that working hard, education and pinching pennies will earn its own desired end. Work hard and you will have a better life.Secondly, The Second Continental Congress was the official resources by which the American colonial governments coordinated their conflict to the British Empire during the first two years of the revolutionary war. Their Justification for taking up arms against the British was simply the colonies seeking their independence. The congress tried to come to a peaceful resolution by ending King George a message which he refused to receive, and then the British parliament passed a series of laws intended to suppress discontent in Colonial Boston by closing ports and placing it under Marshall Law.The Continental Congress could not stand idly by while these intolerable acts were continuing. Thirdly, Patrick Henry s political philosophy was a resilient favoring of the patriots. During a speech he made he said, I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death He had a profound desire to escape the British. He believed that even with the petitions, negotiations, and even begging, has made things shoddier. He thinks before long there will be a British soldier in every home, and there are already men fighting to get the liberty that all the colonies yearn for.The only way to free themselves from the autocracy of the British is to go to war. Fourthly, In the Declaration of Independence they brought forth four different grievances against King George. The grievance are as follows: Interruption of legislative self-government Administrative attempts to impose the kings agenda Offenses against the historical liberties The Kings abdication of the proper ends of government, especially in making war on his subjects These grievances were strong and true.The Declaration of Independence is a detailed report of each grievance that th e King and his soldiers hard pressed onto the colonies. Lastly, Thomas Jefferson hand wrote the Declaration of Independence and argued it was the right and duty of the colonist to declare their independence from the British Empire. The purpose of government is to enable he people of a nation to live in safety and happiness that the ultimate power of governing rests upon the people.The meaning of right and duty is that at all times should be armed, that the people are entitled to freedom of person, religion, property, and press. He wanted the people to govern the government. In conclusion, Benjamin Franklin wanted people to succeed by using his own life experiences, The Second Constitutional Congress was sort of like a mediator between the colonies and Britain, Patrick Henry believed in either getting liberty or dying, and Thomas Jefferson rote the declaration of independence.