Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau was an American essayist, poet, and philosopher. He is best known for his book Walden, a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay "Civil Disobedience" (originally published as "Resistance to Civil Government"), an argument for disobedience to an unjust state.

Thoreau was born in Concord, Massachusetts in 1817. He attended Harvard University, where he studied the classics and philosophy. After graduating, he taught school for a short time before deciding to devote himself to writing.

In 1845, Thoreau built a small cabin on Walden Pond, where he lived for two years. During this time, he wrote Walden, which was published in 1854. In Walden, Thoreau argues that people should simplify their lives and live in harmony with nature.

Thoreau was also a strong advocate of civil disobedience. In 1846, he refused to pay his poll tax in protest of the Mexican-American War. He was briefly jailed for his refusal, but his act of civil disobedience inspired many others, including Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.

Thoreau died in 1862 at the age of 44. He is considered one of the most important figures in American literature and thought.