In the “Speech in the Virginia Convention” by Patrick Henry, Henry uses the persuasive techniques rhetorical question and repetition to convince the men to rebel against the British. The technique of rhetorical question is used in order to lead the men to think more logically about the British’s actions. Henry states “Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled that force must be called to win back our love?”(Henry 1). By stating this, he is trying to explain to the American colonists to stop deceiving themselves in thinking that the British are friendly because they have no other enemies and that the armies and ships are for them. Henry uses logos to convince his audience to think logically about all of the events that have happened so far. He accomplishes this by driving the colonists to realize that the British are preparing for war against them, and they need to take action. This quote helps to convince the people to go to war because it persuades the audience to think more logically about the obvious things. Henry is effective through this by leading the audience to believe that there are no other options but to go to war because of British’s deployments of armies and ships. Rhetorical questions are a persuasive technique used to make the men feel more emotional about their relationship with the British.  Also in his speech, Henry says, “And what have we to oppose them? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we anything new to offer on the subject?”(Henry 1). By saying this, Henry is showing the colonists that they have tried arguing with them, but they keep pushing them further into slavery. They have protested and begged for freedom multiple times, but the British do not react to their inquiries. He fulfills this by asking them why would they want to be treated in this way, and why they would want to be pushed further into slavery. Henry appeals to pathos by using emotion to make the audience to feel vulnerable. In using pathos, Henry urges the colonists to ask themselves why would they want to be blinded into a friendship that would just lead them to betrayal. Through the use of pathos and logos, Henry was able to appeal to the audience by using the persuasive technique of rhetorical questions.

Additionally, Henry uses the persuasive technique of repetition to emphasize tone in his speech to rile up the colonists to revolt against the British. Through repetition, Henry adds emphasis on the more crucial part of his speech in order to drive them to fight for their freedom. Henry declares,  “...which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained, we must fight! I repeat it, sir we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of Host is all that is left us!”(Henry 2). When Henry says this he is telling the colonists that why should we abandon this mission when we have pledged ourselves to it. Henry uses ethos perfectly in this quote to inform the men that it is their duty to defend their freedom and liberate themselves. He uses ethos by emphasizing and intensifying “we must fight” so the colonists understood the importance of rising up against the British. Moreover, Henry states, “There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable and let it come! I repeat, sir, let it come!”(Henry 2). Henry explains to the colonist that must face the war, so the only thing they can do is welcome it. Henry is using logos to make the men logically accept the fact that there is going to be a war, and that they are going to have to stand up and fight it. In order to achieve this, Henry repeats the words “let it come” in order to emphasize that they must accept that a war will happen. There, He persuades them to understand that the war is going to come and there is nothing they can do to prevent it through appealing to logos and through the use of repetition.