Transcript Civil Disobedience Study Questions

Civil Disobedience:
Historical Perspective
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Civil Disobedience: 1849
California Gold Rush: 1849
Huckleberry Finn: 1884
Celia’s Trial: 1855
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl: 1862
American Transcendentalism: ~1836-1856
Narrative: Frederick Douglass: 1845
Uncle Tom’s Cabin: 1852
Connections…
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What initial connections can you make to
materials that we’ve read/discussed thus far?
What is significant about these connections?
Initial reaction: Do you think Thoreau’s
position to be valid…or unrealistic?
Do you agree or disagree with Thoreau’s
position?
Key Points…pages 1-6
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That government is best which governs least…
We should be men first, and subjects afterward…
I cannot for an instant recognize a
government…which is the slave’s government
also…
After the first blush of sin comes its
indifference…
Unjust laws exist…
A minority is powerless while it conforms to the
majority…
More Key Points…
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The rich man is always sold to the institution
that makes him rich…
…majority is most likely to be in the
right…because the are physically the
strongest…
For it matters not how small the beginning may
seem to be: what is once done well is done
forever…
I was not born to be forced…
Civil Disobedience Study
Questions:
1. Is Thoreau’s concept of civil disobedience compatible with democratic
government?
2. Is compromise on moral issues a necessary part of living with other
people?
3. Thoreau asks somewhat rhetorically, “Must the citizen ever for a
moment, or in the least degree, resign his conscience to the
legislator?” Why or why not?
4. Which, if any, of Thoreau’s ideas are valuable in the context of political
activism?
5. According to Thoreau, why do unjust laws exist?
6. What do you think Thoreau’s message is when he writes, “After the first
blush of sin comes indifference?”
7. Why does Thoreau think that the rich are least likely to practice civil
disobedience?
8.. Is Thoreau an optimist or a pessimist? How so?
9. According to Thoreau, why do unjust laws exist?
10. How do you think Thoreau would handle the elephant and mouse
metaphor?
11. What do you think Thoreau’s message is when he writes, “After the
first blush of sin comes indifference?”
12. Do you think the concepts held by Transcendentalists like Thoreau
have validity today?