Patrick Henry's Final Political Battle with John Ragosta

In 1861, the United States fractured into civil war—but the young republic had come dangerously close to a similar breaking point decades earlier. In 1798, under President John Adams, the controversial Alien and Sedition Acts inflamed partisan tensions, prompting the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, which nearly tore the new nation apart. Amid this crisis, George Washington turned to an unlikely ally. Patrick Henry—the fiery orator famous for his "Give me liberty or give me death!" speech—came out of retirement at Washington's urging. Once a fierce Anti-Federalist, Henry set aside ideological differences to defend the Constitution and protect the fragile Union. This final act created a framework for loyal opposition in a republic, demonstrating that passionate disagreement need not mean disunion. Dr. Lynn Price Robbins is joined by Dr. John Ragosta to discuss his book, For the People, For the Country: Patrick Henry's Final Political Battle. Hosted by Dr. Lynn Price Robbins. Executive producers are Dr. Jim Ambuske, Jeanette Patrick, and Patrick Long. Audio and video editing by Patrick Long. Revolutions in Retrospect is a joint production of Primary Source Media and Revolutionary Histories.