Civil Obedience vs. Civil Disobedience Right through American history, it is very clear that many individuals have struggled or battled for justice in a society that has often denied it. ... Henry David Thoreau, a 19th century individualist, wrote an essay called "Civil Disobedience" in which he explained his reasons for not paying taxes to a government that was involved in an unjust war with Mexico. ... Henry Thoreau also used emotional appeal in "Civil Disobedience." ... Thoreau didn't use the bible to support his thoughts, but he did mention God a few times in "Civil Disobedience". ...

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• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

., whose main philosophy on civil disobedience revolved around nonviolence, wrote a "Letter From Birmingham Jail" to eight clergymen informing them of the situation in Birmingham, Alabama, in April of 1963. ... Because civil disobedience includes the violation laws, it is difficult to conclude whether an act is one of civil disobedience, or lawbreaking. During times of social strife- when a society is divided in opinion- there exists much controversy over whether or not certain acts of protest are qualified as civil disobedience. Within their definitions, the differences between civil disobedi...

• Word Count: 831
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School