1. Thoreau
Henry David
“Every man is the builder of a temple called his body”

2. Biography
Born in 1817
Throughout his life, he never stopped looking into nature for the ultimate truth
Attended Harvard
Was a Transcendentalist
Henry worked for several years as a surveyor and pencil maker
In 1845, went to Walden and built a cabin, where he did a lot of reading and writing and spent a lot of time exploring nature

3. Biography Continued
He traveled often to the Maine Woods and to Cape Cod
Died of tuberculosis in 1862 at the age of 44
Last words were “Moose” and “Indian”
Two books, numerous essays, and a journal, later published in 20 volumes
Remembered as “the hermit in the wilderness” and “the prophet of passive resistance”
Henry spent his life rethinking his own, asking questions, and always looking to nature for the true meaning of life

4. Transcendentalism
A philosophical and literary movement that emphasized living a simple life and celebrated the truth found in nature and in personal emotion and imagination, rather than in any organized system of belief
Not a religious experience, but a reformation of individuals

5. Important Contributions
Created Concord Academy with his brother John, and part of the curriculum at the school consisted of Science experiments and nature walks.
In the books Walden and A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers, Thoreau talks about his life in the wilderness, and his Transcendentalist ideas.
The book Walden also discusses how to live life with a minimum of distasteful labor.

6. Civil Disobedience Essay first published in 1849
Argues that people should not allow governments to overrule their consciences
Thoreau was motivated by his disgust with slavery and the Mexican-American War
“That government is best which governs least”

7. Effects of Thoreau’s Contributions
He influenced the public through his writing by expressing his Transcendentalist and individualistic ideas.
Some of Thoreau’s ideas are:
- People have the right to peacefully protest what is wrong in the government.
- Modern materialism will destruct the environment needed for all organisms.
- Unity and community are important aspects of nature.
- He was an advocate of non-violent resistance.

8. Bibliography
Anti Slavery Speech by Henry David Thoreau Essay by Henry David Thoreau: Civil Disobedience "Henry David Thoreau." American Transcendentalism Web. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr < "Henry David Thoreau." N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr < Brandon Mendonca, Matt Crowe, Alex Lanman