...the Consititution. By doing so, we are practicing the rights to protect, assemble peaceably, and oppose laws, as stated in the First Amendment. While to some, civil disobedience may seem as an idea that destroys a society, to others (including myself) is just another way to bring about awareness and change to a society. In Martin Luther King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail", civil disobedience is shown throughout King's actions. King's peaceful protest movements showed resistance to several negative impacts of injustice. In the essay, King states that although Alabama clergymen were criticizing his actions, his argument was...
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...well-written essay, discuss at least two rhetorical elements in the essay you chose from the practice AP test. Relate these devices to one or more of the rhetorical appeals. Consider the following: What effect do these devices or use of language have on the audience? How do these devices or use of language help communicate the speaker’s purpose? How effective are these devices and use of language in communicating the speaker’s purpose? Include specific details from the text. Two pages minimum. (Double spaced, Times New Roman, 12) *If you create a SOAPSTone chart, turn it in with your essay. Civil Disobedience Essay Henry David Thoreau, an American author, poet, philosopher, abolitionist, naturalist, tax...
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...Civil Disobedience Essay Thoreau expresses the Transcendentalist belief that all people must live as individuals, not as mindless parts of a society that may or may not be just. He claims that citizens have the power to create a better government, but they are afraid to take a stand and make changes without the support of the majority. An example of this is Gandhi’s Salt March against the British, who put a tax on their staple ingredient, salt. This is how Gandhi’s vigorous salt march began. Gandhi’s Salt March relates to Thoreau's idea in “Civil Disobedience,” because it shows how Gandhi refused to obey the British law and attempted to make his opinion known. Gandhi’s Salt March emphasizes Thoreau’s idea on how important it is for individuals to come together as a society and voice their opinions to the government on what they believe is right. The Salt March was a reaction to the British tax on salt. Mahatma Gandhi, the British, and some protesters were involved. The British had previously colonized India and therefore were trying to regulate their economy. The Salt March took place in India on March 12, 1930, due to the unreasonable tax on salt, which Gandhi didn’t find fair. He then started a...
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...MacArthur once said, "Rules are mostly made to be broken...". While this does not directly apply to the ideology and practices of civil disobedience, it is most certainly incorporated into it. By its very definition, civil disobedience is, "the refusal to obey certain laws [that one sees to be unjust or oppressive]". The Constitution even says that the people can strike down the government and erect a new one if the aforementioned government is tyrannical. So this idea of passively protesting or peacefully resisting is ingrained into America, which is a prime example of a free society. However how does this ideal affect free society? Henry David Thoreau wrote his essay "Civil Disobedience" in 1848 and published it in 1849. In it, he criticized the government and strongly encouraged every american to not only do the same, but to also commit passive aggressive acts of defiance. As previously stated, every american has the right to do something about an unjust government. Thoreau recognized this, and expanded upon it. While he understands laws and rule purpose as keeping order, Thoreau also comprehends that if the law is to oppress or take away human rights, then the people must protect those right by breaking said law or laws. His essay would be very influential in the future of American history. Not...
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...Thomas Jefferson had once said “To secure these rights,Governments are instituted among men,deriving their just power from the consent of the governed”.In the Quote,Jefferson is explaining that,the power of the Government is being held by the same people,and to secure the rights we want,we have different people who are not part of the Government that can help us to have the rights that is best for our country. The argument in this essay will be about Civil Disobedience,now Civil Disobedience is the refusal to comply with certain laws or to pay taxes and fines,as a peaceful form of political protest.This essay will include great examples about Civil Disobedience such as,”The Letter From Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King,”The Declaration...
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...made of immigrants, but couldn't it be said that it was founded by civil disobedience? When the founding fathers sent the Declaration of Independence to King George, they were preparing for the ratifications of the document. The founding fathers were preparing for any of King George’s reactions to the document so it could be categorized as civil disobedience and defying the crown. The United States was built on civil disobedience and still to this today continues to be shaped by it; without it the United States would not exist. Civil disobedience is carved into early United States history, like cave man paintings are to human kind. Another, act of civil disobedience in which that shaped our country very early was the Boston Tea Party. King George forced the stamp act upon the colonies, and the colonies did not wish to pay the tax (to pay fund King George’s wars;) so in this famous historical event (a prime...
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...Civil Disobedience: A Tool for the People History is filled with examples of the ways the people sought political change including rebellion, assassination, and war. One more peaceful, relatively new idea on protesting the government is civil disobedience. Theologian Henry David Thoreau created the term “Civil Disobedience” in his 1849 essay. One partakes in civil disobedience when one defines opposition to laws on a moral basis and accepts the consequences in order to call attention to, or bring about change (Brownlee). It has been implemented several times over the course of almost one-hundred and seventy years, and today it still is used to great effect. Despite many calling civil disobedience an excuse for anarchy and labeling it superfluous...
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...representation. Peaceful resistance has often been the source of social and political change and has historically represented people who feel that their voice is not being heard. Therefore, civil disobedience positively impacts a free society because...
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...EN102 - English Composition II VIP - Week 5 Week 5 Objectives: Upon successful completion of this Lesson, students will be able to: Reflect and respond to published works using scholarly analysis Utilize library resources when researching Reading Assignment Key Points: Academic writing is all about dissent. As writers in academia, we welcome a dialogue with those whose ideas challenge our own. This is an essential part of the academic process for several reasons: Because through dissent we add to the general pool of knowledge, Because through these challenges to our ideas, we strengthen our arguments, Because it compels us to seek a much broader, more encompassing world view. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning When we think, we start with, what Aristotle called the “Three Fundamental Laws of Thought.” While this is a complex concept, we can simplify it as: 1. The Law of Identity: Whatever is, is what it is. For instance, a cow is a cow. It may be a Jersey cow, it may be an old cow, it may even be a purple cow, but it is most definitely a cow. 2. The Law of Contradiction: Nothing can both be, and not be. A cow cannot both be a cow and not a cow at the same time. 3. The Law of the Excluded Middle: Everything must either be or not be. For instance, a cow is not, under any circumstances, and un-cow. A horse is also not a cow. According to these laws, there is no middle ground. Naming a thing makes it conceptual; it is, quite simply...
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...have to. Civil disobedience and rebellion is justified, particularly in the United States. Locke and King support their view with a variety of arguments. Thomas Hobbes, on the other hand, views any kind of rebellion as unacceptable. This essay will review the effectiveness of both positions, but in the end civil disobedience is justified in the United States. John Locke argues that resistance against one's government is acceptable under certain circumstances. Locke believes that we have God-given rights,which are: life, liberty, limb, health, and property. If at any point our government fails to protect those rights then we are allowed to step in in a non-violent way. It is up to the individual to enforce own executive power. Martin Luther King Jr.’s argument is very similar. He discusses multiple biblical figures. They fought for what they believed in an a non-violent, yet extreme way. King says: “... Jesus Christ, was an extremist for love, truth and goodness, and thereby rose above his environment. Perhaps the South, the nation and the world are in dire need of creative...
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...Do You Hear People Sing? — A Brief Analysis of Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience Abstract: Civil disobedience is the valuable spiritual wealth of American spirits. From Henry David Thoreau to Martin Luther King, civil disobedience theory also had developed into a new stage. American people began to commonly accept and practice the civil disobedience theory, which pushed American Civil Rights Movement forward. This essay focuses on the origination of the civil disobedience and briefly introduces its development. Key Words: Civil disobedience Conscience Government 1、 Thoreau’s Imprisonment The Mexican-American war, which started from 1846, was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico over the territorial dispute of Texas. Most abolitionists and transcendentalists were against this war, because they thought that this war was an act of a bullying government anxious to grab land from a weaker nation. Some even thought this war was a conspiracy of the southern slaveholders. Then Texas admitted slavery, while Mexico forbade slavery. They regarded this war as the expansion of slavery, which could strengthen the influence of the south in federation. Therefore the abolitionists and transcendentalists did their best to resist this war. Among them, Henry David Thoreau was a famous representative. Thoreau did not agree this aggressive war. To resist, he refused to pay the Massachusetts poll tax, which was a “per head” tax imposed on...
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...Thesis Statement: Henry David Thoreau is one of the pioneers of Transcendentalism, and his famous work, Civil Disobedience has great effect on Mahatma Gandhi’s ideology and movement which drives the India for independence. Outline 1. Introduction 1. Brief introduction of Henry David Thoreau 2. Brief introduction of Mahatma Gandhi 2. Writing background and cores of Civil Disobedience 2.1 Writing background 2.2 Cores of Civil Disobedience 2.2.1 Conscience of human 2.2.2 Effect of morality 2.2.3 Suspicion of American’s democracy 2.3.4 In-cooperation with government 3. Embodiment on Mahatma Gandhi 3.1 Effect on Gandhi’s ideology 3.1.1 Works of Gandhi 3.1.2 Speeches of Gandhi 3.2 Effect on Gandhi’s movement 3.2.1 Gandhi in South Africa 3.2.2 Gandhi in India 4. Conclusion 1. Introduction 1.1 Brief introduction of Henry David Thoreau Henry David Thoreau was one of the most famous writers, naturalist, philosophers, abolitionists, and the pioneers of Transcendentalism in America in 19 century. He was born in Concord, Massachusetts, 1817. Thoreau met Ralph Waldo Emerson when he studied in university. And he was deeply influenced by Emerson who advocated that man should be true to himself and close to nature. Emerson was not only a friend but also a teacher to Thoreau. They had edited the journal Sundial together. Thoreau graduated from Harvard College in 1837 and worked as...
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...I believe that peaceful resistance to laws positively impacts a free society. It allows conscience and morals to govern a free society and allows for a country to positively evolve. The founding fathers created the United States through a revolution, standing against the injustice of the British towards them. The birth of our nation serves as an example of why peaceful resistance is important maintaining an effective and moral government. Civil disobedience allows conscience and morals to govern a free society, not the ideals of the majority. As Thoreau stated in his essay, Civil Disobedience, “a majority are permitted…to rule…not because they are most likely to be right, nor because this seems fairest to the minority, but because they are...
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...However, as Thoreau stated in Civil Disobedience, “most governments are usually, and all governments are sometimes inexpedient.” Government, and the democratic system, is not always the most effective way to ensure justice to all. Peaceful resistance to laws positively impacts a free society because it gives a voice to the minority, provides the people with an ultimate check on government, and allows for a morality based society. In a democratic country, the majority wields the bulk of the political power. Since democracy literally means rule of the many, the largest group controls the system. According to...
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...benefit of the greater good have a positive impact on free society. Even in a democracy, when necessary, peaceful resistance holds the government accountable. Sometimes laws are legally right but morally wrong. Yet, the government appears stronger than individuals, and peaceful resistance is the only way to restore the balance of power to achieve social justice. While it is a not always successful in accomplishing its initial goal, peaceful resistance draws attention to the issue, changes the hearts and minds of others, and potentially creates a real change in the long-term. Civil disobedience is a not a recent concept, since it has been used throughout history, from the Plebeians protest at the Sacred...
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