Many hemlock trees grow in
cold places. Sometimes frost covers
their needles.
38 Hemlock BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Henry VIII was born in England on
June 28, 1491. He was not yet 18 when
he became king in 1509. Later that year
he married Catherine of Aragon. Catherine
had six children, but only one,
named Mary, survived to adulthood.
Henry wanted a boy to inherit the
throne. He believed that he needed a
new wife to have his son. At the time,
Henry and most English people
belonged to the Roman Catholic
church. However, in 1527 the pope (the
leader of the Roman Catholic church)
refused to allow Henry to end his marriage
to Catherine. Henry therefore cut
all ties to the church and placed himself
in charge of the new Church of
England, or Anglican church. Henry
severely punished those who continued
to practice the Catholic faith.
The king soon married Anne Boleyn.
Her only child was a daughter, Elizabeth.
In 1536 he had Anne Boleyn put to
death. A few days later he married Jane
Seymour. She gave birth to Edward, the
son Henry wanted. Then she died.
Henry then married a German princess,
Anne of Cleves. He soon divorced her.
In 1540 he married Catherine Howard.
Henry had her, like Anne Boleyn, put to
death. In 1543 Henry took his sixth
wife, Catherine Parr, who outlived him.
Henry died on January 28, 1547. During
his reign he had united England and
Wales. He had also taken control of Ireland.
Three of his children—Edward,
Mary, and Elizabeth—later became rulers
of England.
#More to explore
Elizabeth I • England
Henry, Patrick
Patrick Henry was an early American
patriot who helped shape the first gov-
A painting from the 1500s shows King
Henry VIII of England. A famous artist
named Hans Holbein the Younger made the
painting.
Patrick Henry delivers his “give me liberty
or give me death” speech in 1775.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Henry, Patrick 39
ernment of the United States. His powerful
speeches about liberty and selfgovernment
still inspire people today.
Early Life
Patrick Henry was born in Studley, Virginia,
on May 29, 1736. He received
very little schooling as he was growing
up. Later he studied law. He became a
lawyer in 1760.
Career
Henry soon became very successful as a
lawyer. He also began speaking out
against the British government. He
strongly believed that the American
colonies should be free of British rule. In
a speech in 1775 Henry spoke his most
famous words: “give me liberty or give
me death.”
Throughout his life Henry had several
jobs in government. He began in 1774
as a member of the Continental Congress.
The congress was in charge of governing
the 13 colonies. He also served
several terms as governor of Virginia. He
came out of retirement in 1780 to serve
in Virginia’s legislature.
After the American Revolution Henry
protested against the new U.S. Constitution.
He believed that the Constitution
did not give enough rights to the states
or to individual citizens. Many people
agreed with him. Henry’s beliefs helped
get 10 amendments, or changes, added
to the Constitution in 1791. These
amendments are known as the Bill of
Rights. The Bill of Rights gives many
important freedoms to U.S. citizens.
Henry was elected to the Virginia legislature
again in 1799. However, he never
started his term. He died of cancer at his
home near Brookneal, Virginia, on June
6, 1799.
#More to explore
American Revolution • Bill of Rights
• Continental Congress
Henson, Jim
Kermit the Frog, Cookie Monster, and
Oscar the Grouch are a few of the characters
known as Muppets. Their creator
was Jim Henson. He made up the word
Muppets as a blend of “marionette” (a
type of puppet controlled by strings)
and “puppet.”
James Maury Henson was born on September
24, 1936, in Greenville, Mississippi.
He created the Muppets while
attending college. Most puppets of the
Patrick Henry
helped to write
the first constitution
of
the state of
Virginia.
Jim Henson poses with the Muppets.
40 Henson, Jim BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
time were made of wood. But Henson
searched for material that would be
easier to move and could let characters
show more personality. He chose foam
rubber and plastic covered with fabric.
The Muppets began appearing in brief
segments on television programs in the
late 1950s and 1960s. They became very
popular in 1969 when they became part
of the television show Sesame Street.
They were featured in their own television
program, The Muppet Show, from
1976 to 1981. They later appeared in
The Muppet Movie (1979) and other
motion pictures. Henson also worked on
films that had puppets other than the
Muppets. He died in New York City on
May 16, 1990.
Henson,
Matthew
Matthew Henson may have been the
first person to stand at the North Pole.
He reached the Pole as a member of an
expedition to the Arctic led by the
explorer Robert E. Peary in 1909.
Matthew Alexander Henson was born in
Maryland on August 8, 1866. When
Henson was only about 13 he went to
work on a sailing ship. His ship visited
ports across the world. In 1887 Henson
became an assistant to Peary. Peary was a
young naval officer who had already
made one trip to the Arctic.
Peary and Henson made seven
