Throughout world history, human beings have participated in acts of civil disobedience. However, over the past two centuries, its belief and practice have been in full swing and even brought about major historical events, especially in matters of equal rights and just laws. Henry David Thoreau, Martin Luther King Jr., and Gandhi were three great proponents and activists of civil disobedience. These three men participated in acts of civil disobedience, but each in their own way and for different reasons. Henry David Thoreau thought a certain war tax was unfair during the Mexican War and he refused to pay it. This then led to his arrest and a day in prison where he wrote the essay "Civil Disobedience". Martin Luther King Jr., on the other hand, participated in an act of civil disobedience for a much larger and more important reason. He fought against segregation in America and for equal rights for all American citizens, including blacks, who had been oppressed in America for over 300 years. Loved and followed by thousands, King sought equal rights for himself and others through nonviolent marches and protests, which in turn led to equal rights for all citizens Americans, including blacks. Gandhi's participation in civil disobedience was by far the most effective and led to one of the most turbulent periods in history; the independence of India from British rule. However, although these men all believed in civil disobedience and equal rights for all, they all achieved their goals through different means and methods, as shown by the three quotes involving different forms of civil disobedience. The three quotes will then be discussed and compared to the works of King, Gandhi and Thoreau. ...... middle of paper ......r them. This situation was also explained when King said: “We know by painful experience that liberty is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. » Therefore, all three quotes represent acts of civil disobedience and relate in one way or another: shaping, or training in the philosophies of Henry David Thoreau, Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi. The philosophies of these three men show that there is no one way to participate in an act of civil disobedience and that there are certain rules and regulations that a disobedient must follow to achieve their goal. And furthermore, this goal could range from eliminating an unfair tax, to independence from another country's domination, to equal rights and opportunities for all..