In Civil Disobedience, Thoreau’s basic premise is that a higher law than civil law demands the obedience of the individual. Human law and government are subordinate. In cases where the two are at odds with one another, the individual must follow his conscience and, if necessary, disregard human law.

What is the story Civil Disobedience about?

Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience espouses the need to prioritize one’s conscience over the dictates of laws. It criticizes American social institutions and policies, most prominently slavery and the Mexican-American War.

What is Henry David Thoreau essay Civil Disobedience about?

Disobedience” (1849; originally titled “Resistance to Civil Government”), Thoreau expounded his anarchistic views of government, insisting that if an injustice of government is “of such a nature that it requires injustice to another [you should] break the law [and] let your life be a counter friction to stop the…

What is the main idea of civil disobedience quizlet?

Civil Disobedience- What is the main idea? People have the right to passively (non-aggressive) resist the government.

Is Thoreau writing still relevant today?

He lived his entire life, from 1817 until 1862, in and around Concord, Massachusetts, and he remains popular among readers of all ages worldwide because the topics he wrote about are still relevant today.

What did Thoreau write?

A leading transcendentalist, he is best known for his book Walden, a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay “Civil Disobedience” (originally published as “Resistance to Civil Government”), an argument for disobedience to an unjust state.

Is civil disobedience morally justified?

Civil disobedience in a democracy is not morally justified because it poses an unacceptable threat to the rule of law. In a democracy, minority groups have basic rights and alternatives to civil disobedience. as freedoms of speech, press, association, and religion.

What did Thoreau believe?

He was a well-known advocate of transcendentalism, or the belief in the inherent goodness of people and nature, making a virtue of self-reliance. In his essay On the Duty of Civil Disobedience, Thoreau once wrote “That government is best which governs not at all”.

How does Thoreau justify the moral need for civil disobedience?

Thoreau argued that the government must end its unjust actions to earn the right to collect taxes from its citizens. As long as the government commits unjust actions, he continued, conscientious individuals must choose whether to pay their taxes or to refuse to pay them and defy the government.

What type of government does Thoreau want?

Thoreau envisions the best kind of government as on that does not govern. He supports laissez-faire (free enterprise, free trade, noninterfering).

What is Thoreau’s main point about time?

What is Thoreau’s main point about time in the paragraph beginning “Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in”? Time is shallow, but eternity remains.

What message does Thoreau hope to convey?

What message does Thoreau hope to convey with his anecdote of the strong and beautiful bug in the conclusion of Walden? Life can be beautiful, but it can also be dangerous. Not all bugs are ugly. Something that appears lifeless can give rise to new life.

What is Thoreau’s first thought upon being imprisoned in Civil Disobedience a he is concerned about how long he will?

Correct Answer – They both believed that individuals have the right and the responsibility to protest unjust laws. What is Thoreau’s first thought upon being imprisoned in “Civil Disobedience”? He is concerned about how long he will be there. He wishes to get out of prison as soon as possible.

What is Thoreau’s night in jail?

The play is based on the early life of the title character, Henry David Thoreau, leading up to his night spent in a jail in Concord, Massachusetts. Thoreau was jailed for refusing to pay a poll tax on the grounds that the money might be used to pay for the Mexican–American War, which he opposed.

How does Thoreau describe his night in jail?

His night in prison is “novel and interesting enough” (part 3, par. 1). In paragraph 2, he describes how he entertains himself by looking out the window and learning the history of the prison: “I found that even here there was a history and a gossip which never circulated beyond the walls of the jail” (part 3, par. 2).