Thoreau's Involvement In Civil Disobedience

“I was not designed to be forced. I will breathe after my own fashion. Let us see who is the strongest.” This is a quote from Civil Disobedience, an essay written by Henry David Thoreau after being thrown jail for his refusal to pay taxes in 1846. This quote is significant because it explains Thoreau’s belief that an individual should not be forced to abide by an unjust law. Civil Disobedience is a form of non-violent protesting of a specific law,(Suber) with the aim of having that law changed. (Brownlee) Henry David Thoreau’s involvement in civil disobedience was due to Thoreau’s strong moral standards and individualism. He chose to participate in acts of civil disobedience to protest slavery in the 1800s. His writings on the subject would later influence many to follow in his footsteps. For one to understand Henry David Thoreau’s actions and involvement in civl disobedience, one must first have knowledge of his personal life. Thoreau was born July 12th 1817, in Concord, Massachusetts.(Bio) In Thoreau’s early lie, his family was not financially stable, so his father, John, moved the family around in

Because Thoreau’s physical act of protest was ended abruptly when Thoreau’s aunt—despite his wishes—paid his taxes after he was arrested, and released him from jail, Thoreau penned one of his most famous works, Civil Disobedience in response. This essay which would later influence both Gandhi and Martian Luther King.(Lenat) Like many great writers, Thoreau’s work did become famous until after his death. His sister, Sophia, prepared his uncollected works for publication. Gandhi shared Thoreau’s message by expanding the idea of civil disobedience, which would bring worldwide attention to Thoreau, who lived without ever knowing real fame in his own works.