Henry David Thoreau - "Civil Disobedience"
Considering "Civil Disobedience," which best describes one similarity between Thoreau and Martin Luther King, Jr.?
Both felt that people have the moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.
What is Thoreau's first thought upon being imprisoned in "Civil Disobedience"?
He considers the prison a foolish institution.
Based on Thoreau's opinion about the Mexican-American War and slavery in the United States, why did he most likely refuse to pay the poll taxes, as described in "Civil Disobedience"?
He disagreed with the government's actions.
In "Civil Disobedience," what is Thoreau's view of the state at the end of the essay?
He feels sorry for the state for not acting in a sensible way.
Which would be the best way of describing the structure of Thoreau's observations in "Civil Disobedience"?
He moves from a consideration of his surroundings to an evaluation of the state as a whole.
In "Civil Disobedience," what is Thoreau's last thought about the state before he loses respect for it?
He thinks the state can't tell its friends from its enemies.
Based on Thoreau's beliefs and "Civil Disobedience," he most likely decided not to pay poll tax because
he disagreed with the idea of it.
Based on "Civil Disobedience," what statement did Thoreau, like his modern-day successors, hope to make with his imprisonment?
He wanted to suggest that one should be willing to go to great lengths for a belief.
Which best describes one way in which "Civil Disobedience" impacted people and events later in history?
It fortified the beliefs of those who thought the government acted unfairly.
Based on evidence of his personality in "Civil Disobedience," what effect would a longer jail stay most likely have had on Thoreau?
It would have hardened his resolve to assert his rights.
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?
NOT. He would believe that King did not understand the nature of political protest.
What does "Civil Disobedience" suggest about the public opinion of tax evasion in Thoreau's time?
NOT. Tax evasion was only a moderate crime.
Considering "Civil Disobedience," which best describes how Thoreau and Martin Luther King, Jr. both felt about acts of civil disobedience?
They both believed that individuals have the right and the responsibility to protest unjust laws.
In "Civil Disobedience," what does Thoreau think about right after he wonders if he could have been of service to his community?
the significance of the wall between himself and others
Considering "Civil Disobedience," why did both Thoreau and Martin Luther King, Jr. engage in acts of civil disobedience?
to protest government policies they believed were unjust
