Henry David Thoreau harbored many anarchist thoughts toward the American government of the decades before the Civil War, which he collected and wrote about in the essay, Civil Disobedience. The essay contains a powerful message that would not only reflect Thoreau's own views toward the Mexican war, but also give the essay a powerful anti-slavery message, as well as affect the whole idea of Civil Rights, as well as shape the leaders of Civil Rights. …showed first 75 words of 329 total…

…showed last 75 words of 329 total…much rather overthrow the government than help it, the exact opposite of Kennedy, trying to restore faith in the government. Thoreau lived in a period were there was not much faith in the government, protests were very common, and the nation was about to split into two parts, partially explaining his quote. This comparison is just showing how much more different that views have become since the Civil War, faith in the government, mostly restored.