Henry David Thoreau - Civil Disobedience

In "Civil Disobedience," what is Thoreau's view of the state at the end of the essay? a. He thinks the state does not appreciate individual worth. b. He finds the state guilty of gross misjudgment of his actions. c. He feels sorry for the state for not acting in a sensible way. d. He considers the state's actions indicative of society's unfairness

He feels sorry for the state for not acting in a sensible way

Based on "Civil Disobedience," what statement did Thoreau, like his modern-day successors, hope to make with his imprisonment? a. He wanted to show the great unfairness of the prison system. b. He wanted to prove himself as a martyr for his cause. c. He wanted to suggest that one should be willing to go to great lengths for a belief. d. He wanted to suggest that imprisonment was the only valid form of political protest.

Not A

In "Civil Disobedience," what is Thoreau's last thought about the state before he loses respect for it? a. He finds the state's industrious locking of the cell door amusing. b. He thinks the state can't tell its friends from its enemies. c. He thinks the state is half-witted. d. He finds the state unforgivably timid.

Not A

What does "Civil Disobedience" suggest about the public opinion of tax evasion in Thoreau's time? a. Tax evasion was only a moderate crime. b. The evasion of taxes was considered highly disrespectful to the state. c. If allowed to continue, tax evasion was a serious offense. d. Tax evasion was one of the more grave crimes one could commit.

Not D Not A

Which would be the best way of describing the structure of Thoreau's observations in "Civil Disobedience"? a. He moves from a consideration of his surroundings to an evaluation of the state as a whole. b. He develops a critique of his jail cell into a critique of the entire prison system and justice department. c. He uses the example of his case as a way to introduce his condemnation of the court. d. He moves from a description of his jail cell to his reaction to being imprisoned.

a. He moves from a consideration of his surroundings to an evaluation of the state as a whole.

Which best describes one way in which "Civil Disobedience" impacted people and events later in history? a. It fortified the beliefs of those who thought the government acted unfairly. b. It made readers want to immediately engage in protests. c. It gave readers an insight into Thoreau's life. d. It acted as a catalyst for rapid political change.

a. It fortified the beliefs of those who thought the government acted unfairly.

Read the quotation from Ralph Waldo Emerson's "Self-Reliance." These are the voices which we hear in solitude, but they grow faint and inaudible as we enter into the world. Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members. Which tenant of transcendentalism does this quotation best illustrate? a. Society and government corrupt the individual. b. Society helps people express their individuality. c. Societal rules are less important that an individual's conscience. d. Societal rules are necessary to maintain order.

a. Society and government corrupt the individual.

Considering "Civil Disobedience," why did both Thoreau and Martin Luther King, Jr. engage in acts of civil disobedience? a. to take a stand against government taxation b. to protest government policies they believed were unjust c. to protest slavery and the Mexican-American War d. to take a stand against unfair laws in the 1950s and '60s

b. to protest government policies they believed were unjust

What is Thoreau's first thought upon being imprisoned in "Civil Disobedience"? a. He is concerned about how long he will be there. b. He wishes to get out of prison as soon as possible. c. He considers the prison a foolish institution. d. He wonders why he was put behind bars.

c. He considers the prison a foolish institution.

Considering "Civil Disobedience," which best describes how Thoreau and Martin Luther King, Jr. both felt about acts of civil disobedience? a. They both believed that acts of peaceful political protest would not affect or alter the law. b. They both believed that people should go against certain laws because government is a flawed concept. c. They both believed that individuals have the right and the responsibility to protest unjust laws. d. They both believed that breaking the law is an unjust action that deserves punishment.

c. They both believed that individuals have the right and the responsibility to protest unjust laws.

Read the excerpt from a letter Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote while imprisoned in Birmingham Jail in 1963. One who breaks an unjust law must do so openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penalty. Based on his behavior in "Civil Disobedience," how would Thoreau most likely feel about King's statement? a. He would believe that his reasons and King's reasons for protest were completely unrelated. b. He would disagree with King's belief that one must accept the penalty for political protest. c. He would believe that King did not understand the nature of political protest. d. He would agree with King that one should engage in political protest peacefully.

d. He would agree with King that one should engage in political protest peacefully.