Civil Disobedience Assignment

In Civil Disobedience, Henry David Thoreau describes the highest duty of good citizens and how they must do, what they think is right, even at the cost of going to jail. In this essay, Thoreau asks for a better government. He asks people to follow their conscience even if the majority opposed them because the government always follows the majority even if they were wrong. Thoreau wanted to limit the power of the majority so that the individuals could follow their own morals. He uses several examples to justify his claim, such as slavery and the Mexican War. The Mexican War during Thoreau's time, many Americans believed that the United States should expand until it reached from coast to coast. President James Polk tried to buy the territories that are now California, Arizona, and New Mexico. When Mexico refused to sell, Polk prepared to fight. Thoreau viewed the war as an unjust cause. In conclusion, Thoreau gives these examples to show how the government is unjust and that a person should trust his own morals or conscience.