Henry David Thoreau's Inspirations Of Civil Disobedience

Henry David Thoreau Civil disobedience had been the word assigned to the peaceful acts that people take to stand up against laws and regulations. One of history’s greatest inspirations of civil disobedience is Henry David Thoreau. His life has been marked within the pages of history, his acts have left an impression on the people around him and his words will continue to ring throughout the future. Thoreau was many titles during his life, a philosopher, a poet, an essayist, and a man who sparked inspiration in many great people(Henry, 10). Born on July 12, 1817, Thoreau began his life in Concord Massachusetts where he would live most of his life. Thoreau was an intelligent student who found himself studying at Harvard College, though he had to take a break due to illness (Henry, 4). Even with a small hiatus in his education, Thoreau graduated in the top of his class in 1837 …show more content…
Unfortunately, in May of 1802, Thoreau passed away from tuberculosis (Schneider, 14). When Thoreau passed away, he left behind many ideas, observations, revised essays, and his own private journal (Schneider, 11). Thoreau was a man who lived a modest lifestyle, but was enlightened by the world around him, which allowed him to write for what he thought was right. One of Thoreau’s biggest acts of civil disobedience was in fact writing his essay Civil Disobedience (McElroy, 1). Thoreau was imprisoned for refusing to pay his poll tax since it violated his beliefs (McElroy, 2). Since this was Thoreau’s first encounter with the law he had the opportunity to analyze it (McElroy, 16). Thoreau was able to see the wall between the state and the people (McElroy, 19). Not only that, but Thoreau mentioned the issues the state itself had, as well as how the common man should be able to pursue his own beliefs (Thoreau