Question

Thoreau believed that a government that supported slavery was corrupt and immoral. He was also deeply suspicious of government. For these and other reasons, Thoreau refused to pay his poll tax for a number of years. The poll tax was a legal tax owed by every person. It was basically a tax on one's body. After not paying for years, he was at last arrested. He spent only one night in jail, however, as a relative paid the tax for him. He was reportedly furious that any tax was paid on his behalf. What is the main idea of the bolded paragraph? (5 points)
Thoreau disliked paying his poll taxes.
Thoreau spent only a night in jail because of a relative.
Thoreau would not support corrupt government.
Thoreau set an example for others to follow.

Answer 1

The correct answer is C) Thoreau would not support a corrupt government.

The main idea of the bolden paragraph is "Thoreau would not support a corrupt government."

The excerpt clearly reads: "Thoreau believed that a government that supported slavery was corrupt and immoral." That is why he decided not to pay taxes for a number of years.

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862 was an American journalist and writer and abolitionist, famous for his book "Walden" and his critical essay "Resistance to Civil Government" or "Civil Disobedience," in which he calls the people to resist questionable government decisions in a pacific way. His call to action on civil disobedience influenced many later activists such as Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.