Civil Disobedience

A detailed Summary of Civil Disobedience


Throughout American history, it is clear that many individuals have fought for

justice in a society that has often denied it. We know this information from

documents written by these individuals expressing their feelings on a certain

subject. On the subject of human rights, two specific men have expanded

their thoughts to make a difference. The very popular Dr. Martin Luther King

Jr., 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.

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. Although

these works were written for different causes, the two are similar in some

ways. Both are similar in how they get the reader to see and feel what the

Both men, King and Thoreau, used emotional appeal in their work.

This was used to gain support from the reader by creating a feeling of

sympathy to be felt by the reader. Dr. King's most emotional section was his


considering that he was directing his thoughts to the eight white clergymen.

Birmingham to a similar event in the Bible. He wrote, "Just as the eighth

about the government. His thoughts were appealing to many in the North or

a few feet thick. He felt that he was treated "as if I were mere flesh and

need help in Birmingham, Alabama. Henry Thoreau deeply anylized his one

He also recalled that civil disobedience was also "practiced superbly by the

early Christians who were willing to face hungry lions and the excruciating

God in their writing. King compared the injustice of the situation in

One very common feature found in both the letter written by Dr. King



Some common words found in the essay are:
Dr King's, Copernicus Luther, Civil Disobedience, Dr King, Jesus Christ, Henry Thoreau, Bible God, Throughout American, North Abolitionists, King Jr, civil disobedience, dr king, paying taxes government, thoreau emotional appeal, abolition slavery, birmingham alabama, henry david, unjust laws, luther king, king jr, luther king jr, martin luther king, situation birmingham, david thoreau, henry david thoreau,

Approximate Word count = 1082
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Miscellaneous

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