I have paid no poll tax in six years. I was put into a jail once on this account, for one night. -Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience, 1849 Use the except to answer the following question. How did Thoreau justify this act of civil disobedience?
Thoreau justified this act of civil disobedience by arguing that he refused to pay the poll tax because he disagreed with the government's policies, particularly regarding slavery and the Mexican-American War. He believed that by withholding his tax payment, he was nonviolently resisting and protesting these unjust actions of the government. Thoreau saw this as a form of conscientious objection and believed that individuals should not be financially supporting actions that go against their moral principles. The brief stay in jail was seen as a symbol of his resistance and a way to demonstrate his commitment to his principles.
