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 desired to learn more about the government. he wanted to expose fraud in the government. he supported the government’s position. he disagreed with the government’s actions.

Thoreau refused to pay tax because he disagreed with the government’s action.

Henry David Thoreau is the son of a concord pencil maker. He graduated from Harvard in 137. He worked briefly as a school master, after which he ventured in writing poetry.

Further Explanation

Henry David became a member of a movement known as transcendentalism. It was a religious, philosophical and literary movement. The leader of the movement was Ralph Emerson; he was a writer and lecturer.

Thoreau concurred with Emerson teaching on social reforms. Emerson teachings emphasized on the need for social reform to begins with individual.  

In 1845, Thoreau built a hut at Walden Pond. He lived in the hut, where he meditated and wrote about nature.

The war that broke out between the United States and Mexico was seen by Thoreau and other northern critics an as attempt by the southerners to extend slavery into the southwest. Thoreau stopped paying tax in a bid to protest against slavery. The local tax collector overlooked Thoreau failure to pay tax, but he was later punished for tax invasion when he publicly condemned US attack on Mexico.

Thoreau was arrested and jailed by the US sheriff in July 1846. However, he spent one year in prison and was released after someone, probably his relative anonymously pay his taxes. This incident motivated Thoreau to write the essay "civil disobedience". The essay became famous and was originally published in 1894 as Resistance to Civil Government.  

In his essay, Thoreau concluded that his act of defiance was not enough to be against war and slavery

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In his essay, Thoreau disagreed with the government’s actions. Thoreau really objected to reinforcing the policies of the Federal Government on slavery and the war versus Mexico.

EXPLANATION:  

The United States declared war on Mexico in 1846. Thoreau and other Northern residents from the war perceived it as a conspiracy by Southerners to broaden slavery to the Southwest. Thoreau had ended up buying taxes on the grounds of slavery. Local tax collectors had passed through their tax elusion but are determined to act when Thoreau directly punished the attacks and occupation in Mexico by the U.S.  

The sheriff detained and confined Thoreau for tax errors in July 1846. Someone, possibly a relative, rewarded Thoreau taxes secretly after he finished one night in prison. This incident triggered Thoreau to create his famous essay, "Civil Disobedience" (firstly published in 1849 as "Resistance to Civil Government").

Thoreau's small act of disobedience ran him to accomplish that it was insufficient just to fight slavery and war. Someone who has a morality must act. Thoreau convinced that the government must stop its unjust actions to obtain tax rights from its people. If the government does something unjust, mindful individuals must prefer whether to remunerate taxes or reject to pay them and resist the government.

Thoreau specified that if the government required people to partake in injustice by obeying with "unjust laws," then individuals must "break the laws" even if they were in prison. Different from some followers of civil disobedience such as Martin Luther King, Thoreau did not eliminate the use of violence as opposed to an unjust government. Thoreau prevented the bloody attack of John Brown at the federal weapons warehouse in Harper's Ferry, Virginia, in his failed attempt to start a slave to rebellion in the year 1859.

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If you’re interested in learning more about this topic, we recommend you to also take a look at the following questions:

•What are the two government policies Thoreau most objects to? Explain this objection!

KEYWORDS: Thoreau, Civil Disobedience

Subject  : English

Class  : 10-12

Sub-Chapter: Civil Disobedience

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