2. Table of Contents
Early life and education
Jobs and hobbies
Personal beliefs
Social/Political influence
Writings
Death
3. Early life and education
Born in Concord, Massachusetts on July 12, 1817
Thoreau was named after a deceased uncle, named David Henry.
He was more David Henry did not become Henry David until after
college.
Henry never petitioned to make a legal name change.
2 older siblings, Helen and John Jr. and a younger sister, Sophia.
Henry attended the public school in Concord and the private Concord
Academy.
Unlike his brother, John, Henry was proven a better scholar and
attended Harvard University. He did well but had to drop out later due
to financial and healthy reasons. He graduated at the top of his class in
1837.
4. Jobs and Hobbies
Thoreau had several jobs throughout his life.
When Thoreau left Harvard, he taught at a school in
Canton, Massachusetts
Joined the faculty of the Concord public school.
Started a grammar school with the help of his brother, John.
After John died, Thoreau met up with Ralph Waldo Emerson and
got advice from him. He was then influenced to contribute essays
and poems to “The Dial”, a quarterly periodical.
After moving into the Emerson house, he began tutoring
children, assisting editors and was a repair man/gardener.
While returning to Concord, he worked in his family’s pencil
factory where he remained for most of his adult life.
5. Jobs and Hobbies continued…
Henry invented a process to make a better pencil
out of interior graphite using clay as the binder.
Henry soon went back to writing.
Later in 1851, Henry became interested in natural
history and travel narratives.
He kept a series of notebooks and observed nature.
Henry did several travels which influenced a lot of
his writings.
6. “I went to the woods because I wished to live
deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life,
and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and
not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”
7. Personal Beliefs
Henry was one of the first supporters of Darwin’s theory.
Loves wilderness and nature. He believes that people should
conserve natural resources on private land while preserving
wilderness on public land.
Preferred being a vegetarian.
He liked balance of civilization and wilderness. He was a
“middle ground” believer.
Hiked and canoed.
Did not believe in slavery.
He tried to find joy, creativeness, and happiness each day of
his life.
8. Social/Political Influence
Writings influenced many political leaders.
Ex. “Civil Disobedience”
Martin Luther King Jr. got the idea of non-
violent resistance by reading “Civil
Disobedience”.
Also influenced authors and artists such as
B.F. Skinner who kept a copy of “Walden”
with him for ideas and inspiration.
9.
10. Death
Henry David Thoreau died on May 6, 1862 at the age of 44.
He was diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1835 and continued to
suffer from it until his death. In 1858, Henry became ill with
bronchitis. He soon was bedridden and died of bad health.
He knew he was dying and had time to warn his friends and
family and accept it for himself. His last words were “Now
comes good sailing” and then pronounced “moose” and
“Indian”.
11. Writings
Henry David Thoreau wrote several books, poetry, and essays.
Some of his most famous works include:
Walden
Civil Obedience
Herald of Freedom
Summer
Winter
Autumn
Sir Walter Raleigh
The Service
Slavery in Massachusetts
Walking
