Civil Disobedience Study Guide

1. The inspiration for American Transcendentalism derives from Thoreau's understanding and study of:

• British Romanticism
• Unitarian-Universalism
• German Idealism
• all of the above

2. Thoreau was thrown in prison for one night in 1847 because he

• failed to repay debt to the local bank
• refused to pay the poll tax
• encouraged violent overthrow of the federal government
• protested at a Concord town meeting

3. According to Thoreau, American government is generally

• good at solving social problems, but could be more effective
• a meddlesome and intrusive presence
• too weak to have any real impact on the overall direction of society
• a progressive, enlightening force in the lives of ordinary citizens

4. William Paley argues with regard to acts of civil disobedience that:

• only considerations of individual conscience should be taken into account
• men have an unfettered right to revolution
• men should instead petition their elected representatives
• the enormity of the grievance must be weighed against the cost of redressing it

5. How many times does Thoreau use the term "civil disobedience" in his essay?

• 2
• 3
• 7
• none

6. In his prison account, Thoreau compares the State to

• a pathetic, lonely woman
• an armored knight
• a machine
• an overbearing mother

7. The purest sources of Truth, Thoreau claims at the end of his essay, are to be found in:

• the Constitution and the Bible
• the wisdom of great leaders
• ancient Greek philosophy
• 18th century Enlightenment thought

8. For Thoreau, majority opinion in a democracy

• should generally be used to guide the decision of legislators, except in times of war or civil unrest
• must always be respected, regardless of its moral consequences
• should be disregarded if it supports unjust or immoral policies
• is highly manipulable and hence not to be trusted

9. Thoreau opposes the Mexican war primarily because he

• thinks that a diplomatic solution should be sought in this case
• thinks that war is morally wrong in all cases
• fears the extension of slavery into new US territories
• wants to preserve the political power of New England

10. Thoreau claims that money is generally a corrupting force because it

• binds men to corrupt governments and social institutions
• gives men too much influence over the political process
• puts men out of touch with the plight of the common man
• makes men think that they are above the law