In March 1845, the United States welcomed a new president, James K. Polk, who was known for his strong and ambitious leadership. Polk aimed to expand the country’s influence, which led to a war with Mexico over Texas and disputes with Great Britain about Oregon. He also supported slavery, dismissing those who wanted to abolish it. While many Americans admired Polk’s boldness, others, like the famous writer Henry David Thoreau, strongly disagreed with his policies.
Henry David Thoreau, a writer from Massachusetts famous for his book “Walden,” was a vocal critic of President Polk. Thoreau opposed the Mexican-American War, sympathizing with Mexico, and was concerned about Polk’s confrontations with Britain. He was also horrified by the government’s policy of capturing and returning runaway slaves. Thoreau’s dissatisfaction with Polk’s presidency led him to write an influential essay called “Civil Disobedience” in 1849.
Thoreau’s essay explores how an honest citizen should respond to a president they fundamentally disagree with. At the time, people believed that citizens should respect the majority’s decision and stay silent if they disagreed with the president. Thoreau challenged this idea, arguing that true patriots follow their own consciences and reason, rather than blindly obeying the government.
Thoreau wanted people to value independent thought over unquestioning obedience. He believed that a good citizen should not just go along with the government but should think critically about its actions. Thoreau’s strong opposition to Polk’s policies led him to speak out against the Mexican-American War, the return of runaway slaves, and the government’s overall approach.
To show his opposition, Thoreau refused to pay his taxes, a symbolic act against what he saw as an unjust government. In July 1846, he was arrested and jailed in Concord, Massachusetts, for not paying taxes. Thoreau viewed his imprisonment as a noble stand against injustice, famously saying, “Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is a prison.” He believed that when injustice becomes too great, individuals should act as “counter-friction to stop the machine.”
While Thoreau did not suggest that everyone should stop paying taxes—his kind aunt eventually paid his bill—he saw it as one of many non-violent ways to resist a government when its actions are aggressive and unreasonable. Thoreau emphasized that an election decides who the president is but does not justify all presidential actions or require citizens to remain passive until the next election.
Thoreau’s essay remains a powerful call against political passivity. He criticized those who opposed slavery and the war in principle but did nothing to stop them, sarcastically noting that many considered themselves heirs of Washington and Franklin while remaining inactive. Thoreau urged citizens not to surrender their conscience to laws or serve unethical leaders. Instead, he encouraged serving one’s own mind and conscience.
Thoreau’s ideas on civil disobedience have had a lasting impact, inspiring future generations of activists and leaders, including Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. His belief in the power of individual conscience and non-violent resistance continues to resonate as a guiding principle for those challenging injustice and advocating for change.
Engage in a structured debate with your classmates on the topic of civil disobedience. Divide into two groups: one supporting Thoreau’s view that individuals should follow their conscience over the law, and the other arguing that laws should be respected even if they are unjust. Prepare your arguments using examples from history and current events.
Choose a historical figure who was influenced by Thoreau’s “Civil Disobedience,” such as Mahatma Gandhi or Martin Luther King Jr. Research their use of civil disobedience and present a short role-play or speech as that figure, explaining how Thoreau’s ideas impacted their actions and beliefs.
Write a short story or essay imagining a modern scenario where civil disobedience is used to address a current social or political issue. Reflect on how Thoreau’s principles might be applied today and what challenges or successes might arise from such actions.
Read excerpts from Thoreau’s essay “Civil Disobedience” and analyze its main arguments. Create a visual mind map that outlines Thoreau’s key points and how they relate to the concept of individual conscience versus governmental authority. Share your mind map with the class and discuss its implications.
Conduct a research project on a historical event or movement that involved civil disobedience, such as the Civil Rights Movement or the Salt March. Present your findings in a multimedia presentation, highlighting the role of civil disobedience and its outcomes. Discuss how Thoreau’s ideas were reflected in the actions of those involved.
Thoreau – Henry David Thoreau was an American essayist, poet, and philosopher known for his writings on naturalism and civil disobedience. – In his essay, Thoreau argues that individuals should not permit governments to overrule their consciences.
Civil – Relating to the rights and duties of citizens and the conduct of government. – Civil society plays a crucial role in holding the government accountable to the people.
Disobedience – The refusal to comply with certain laws or governmental demands as a form of peaceful protest. – Thoreau’s concept of civil disobedience has inspired many social movements advocating for change.
Government – The system or group of people governing an organized community, often a state. – Thoreau believed that the best government is one that governs least.
Conscience – A person’s moral sense of right and wrong, viewed as acting as a guide to one’s behavior. – Thoreau emphasized the importance of acting according to one’s conscience, even if it means breaking the law.
Injustice – Lack of fairness or justice; an unjust act or occurrence. – Thoreau argued that individuals have a duty to resist injustice, even if it means facing punishment.
Policies – Principles or rules that guide decisions and achieve rational outcomes in governance. – The government’s policies on taxation were heavily criticized by Thoreau for being unfair.
Citizens – Members of a state or nation who have rights and responsibilities towards their government. – Thoreau believed that citizens should not blindly follow laws but should question their morality.
Resistance – The refusal to accept or comply with something; the attempt to prevent something by action or argument. – Thoreau’s essay on civil disobedience is a powerful call for resistance against unjust laws.
Slavery – The state of being under the control of someone else, often used in the context of historical systems where people were owned by others. – Thoreau was a vocal critic of slavery and used his writings to advocate for its abolition.
