1. Henry David Thoreau

2. Just the facts Born July 12, 1817 Died May 6, 1862 Birthplace: Concord Massachusettes Formal education: Harvard Cause of death: Tuberculosis

3. Relationship with Emerson Emerson – Is 14 years older than Thoreau – Encouraged Thoreau as a writer, steering him in the direction of topic of nature – Shared attitudes toward slavery with Emerson – Let Thoreau stay at his place, Walden

4. Everyone Experiments Social experiments, like communes – Hawthorne- Brook Farm – Louisa and Bronson Alcott- Fruitlands – Solitary experience is offshoot of this social experimentation

5. Livin’ on the Edge “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life….” 2 years, 2 months Self reliance or running away?

6. The Bare Neccessities “Simplify, simplify” Not a fan of the rise of industry Specialization of labor and commerce rob us of command on our own lives

7. Self Reliance Grew his own food Built his own shelter Freedom to think and write Profound connection between self reliance, meaningful manual labor, and thought “By working about six weeks in a year, I could meet all the expenses of living.”

8. Bad Boy Thoreau didn’t pay his poll tax while living at Walden; got arrested “Civil Disobedience” is based on the experience – Discusses what people should do when their government is acting immorally

9. “I say, break the law. Let your life be a counter friction to stop the machine.”

10. Future Influence Mahatma Gandhi – Worked for India’s struggle for independence – Studied Thoreau’s writings on Civil Disobedience Martin Luther King, Jr. – Leader for the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S. – Looked to Thoreau for ideas on non- violent protest