Henry David Thoreau's Accomplishments

While many writers of his time have faded, naturalist, philosopher, and author Henry David Thoreau is well-known from his work and studies that are still relevant to modern day. (“Henry” Bio) Thoreau has contributed his famous writing of Walden; or, Life in the Woods, that has given a close-up look into simplistic living. This came of his two year and two month long sojourn at Walden Pond. Other equally well-known works of his include: Civil Disobedience and A Plea for Captain John Brown, an essay that adopted radical abolitionist John Brown’s ideals against slavery. Born on 12 July 1817, Henry David Thoreau grew up in Concord, Massachusetts. Thoreau was the third out of four children, including older siblings John and Helen and younger sister Sophia. His father was a factory worker, operating locally and his mother was a landlord, renting out parts of the family’s home to boarders. (“Henry” Bio)

Eventually, Thoreau went to what is now Harvard University. During his stay at Harvard, Thoreau read the book Nature by author Ralph Waldo Emerson, a fellow concord

(“Henry”Bio) Thoreau eventually lost the battle and died in 1862, when he was only 44 years of age.(“Henry” Henry) “At his funeral, his friend Emerson said, “The country knows not yet, or in the least part, how great a son it has lost. … His soul was made for the noblest society; he had in a short life exhausted the capabilities of this world; wherever there is knowledge, wherever there is virtue, wherever there is beauty, he will find a home.”(“Life and Legacy”) Henry David Thoreau’s works pertaining nature were “radical in their own way, earning him the moniker of "father of environmentalism."”.(“Henry” Bio) Thoreau’s work as an abolitionist was work “of passive resistance” (“Henry” Henry) that was “so dear to [ great leaders such as] Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King”.(“Henry”