--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In 1848, Thoreau went to jail for…" description: "\"In 1848, Thoreau went to jail for refusing, as a protest against the Mexican war, to pay his poll tax. When RW Emerson came to bail him out, Emerson sa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/henry-david-thoreau-20_bail_in-1848-thoreau-went-to-jail-for-refusin_1758114.jpg" --- # In 1848, Thoreau went to jail for refusing, as a protest… ![“In 1848, Thoreau went to jail for refusing, as a protest against the Mexican war, to pay his poll tax. When RW Emerson came to bail him out, Emerson said, 'Henry, what are you doing in there?' Thoreau quietly replied, 'Ralph, what are you doing out there?'” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/henry-david-thoreau-20_bail_in-1848-thoreau-went-to-jail-for-refusin_1758114.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/henry-david-thoreau-20_bail_in-1848-thoreau-went-to-jail-for-refusin_1758114.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/henry-david-thoreau-20_bail_in-1848-thoreau-went-to-jail-for-refusin_1758114.jpg) > “In 1848, Thoreau went to jail for refusing, as a protest against the Mexican war, to pay his poll tax. When RW Emerson came to bail him out, Emerson said, 'Henry, what are you doing in there?' Thoreau quietly replied, 'Ralph, what are you doing out there?'” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Thoreau’s prison protest illustrates civil disobedience against unjust policies, and Emerson’s question highlights solidarity. **In simple terms:** Thoreau went to jail for protest; Emerson asked why. Key Takeaway Stand up for your principles, even if it means sacrifice. Themes civil disobedience justice solidarity Mood serious inspirational Type historical philosophical When to use this quote - activism - education - public policy Key Concepts political philosophy history Questions to Reflect On - What cause would you risk imprisonment for? - How can allies support protestors? A Different Perspective Protesting can lead to personal hardship. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Jail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jail/) [Mexican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mexican/) [Mexican War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mexican-war/) [Polls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polls/) [Protest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protest/) [Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxes/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“I’ll go live in the woods,” said Malone. “You’ll be lonely,” said Sutherland. “Even Thoreau went to town in the afternoon to gossip.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-holleran/i-ll-go-live-in-the-woods-said-malone-you-ll-be-lonely-said/) [Andrew Holleran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-holleran/) > [“The American Anti-Slavery Society, on the other hand, said the war was “waged solely for the detestable and horrible purpose of extending and perpetuating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-american-anti-slavery-society-on-the-other-hand-said-the-war-was/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Asked whether or not he believed in an afterlife, Thoreau quipped, "One world at a time."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/asked-whether-or-not-he-believed-in-an-afterlife-thoreau-quipped-one/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“The tops of mountains are among the unfinished parts of the globe, whither it is a slight insult to the gods to climb and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-tops-of-mountains-are-among-the-unfinished-parts-of-the-globe/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Sometimes you have to leave the world in order to learn how to live in it. Thoreau shunned society, went to the woods, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/sometimes-you-have-to-leave-the-world-in-order-to-learn-how-to-live/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“We know but few man, a great many coats and breeches.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/we-know-but-few-man-a-great-many-coats-and-breeches/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Most of the luxuries, and many of the so called comforts of life, are not only indispensable, but positive hinderances to the elevation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/most-of-the-luxuries-and-many-of-the-so-called-comforts-of-life-are-2/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it. --Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-price-of-anything-is-the-amount-of-life-you-exchange-for-it-henry/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The language of friendship is not words but meanings. --Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-language-of-friendship-is-not-words-but-meanings-henry-david/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Society is commonly too cheap. We meet at very short intervals, not having had time to acquire any new value for each other.We meet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/society-is-commonly-too-cheap-we-meet-at-very-short-intervals-not-2/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This afternoon, being on Fair Haven Hill, I heard the sound of a saw, and soon after from the Cliff saw two men sawing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-afternoon-being-on-fair-haven-hill-i-heard-the-sound-of-a-saw/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“His eyes ran over her hungrily. “I couldn’t get it out of my mind,” he said, almost to himself, “the way it felt, back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-palmer/his-eyes-ran-over-her-hungrily-i-couldn-t-get-it-out-of-my-mind-he/) [Diana Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-palmer/) > [“The casualties at Antietam numbered four times the total suffered by American soldiers at the Normandy beaches on June 6, 1944. More than twice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-mcpherson/the-casualties-at-antietam-numbered-four-times-the-total-suffered-by/) [James M. McPherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-mcpherson/) > [“Thus, in that inevitable taking of sides which comes from selection and emphasis in history, I prefer to try to tell the story of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/thus-in-that-inevitable-taking-of-sides-which-comes-from-selection/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“At 8:08 a.m. on July 23, 1885, Grant died so gently that nobody was quite certain at first that his spirit had stolen away.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-chernow/at-8-08-a-m-on-july-23-1885-grant-died-so-gently-that-nobody-was/) [Ron Chernow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-chernow/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Bail quotes > [when times are tough, the weak bail and the tough get creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/when-times-are-tough-the-weak-bail-and-the-tough-get-creative/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [When assumptions were made that I was going to bail out there was a little part of my brain that thought 'I am going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-stevens/when-assumptions-were-made-that-i-was-going-to-bail-out-there-was-a/) [Craig Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-stevens/) > [The person who reads can bail, but the person who doesn't fails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-paulsen/the-person-who-reads-can-bail-but-the-person-who-doesn-t-fails/) [Gary Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-paulsen/) > [Don’t let your thoughts run away with you, don’t start planning to bail out because you’re worried about the future and how much you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-luttrell/don-t-let-your-thoughts-run-away-with-you-don-t-start-planning-to/) [Marcus Luttrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-luttrell/) > [Shortly before my arrest, my girlfriend at the time, who's now my wife of ten years, told me she was quitting drugs and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-hosoi/shortly-before-my-arrest-my-girlfriend-at-the-time-who-s-now-my-wife/) [Christian Hosoi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-hosoi/) > [“Pick a leader who will keep jobs in your country by offering companies incentives to hire only within their borders, not one who allows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/pick-a-leader-who-will-keep-jobs-in-your-country-by-offering/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [The United States can no longer rely upon foreign nations such as China to bail us out of our economic irresponsibility. We must live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/the-united-states-can-no-longer-rely-upon-foreign-nations-such-as/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [You’re going to share a Moon Pie? Now? You know you can’t get any more of those until you go back to the Sates,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/you-re-going-to-share-a-moon-pie-now-you-know-you-can-t-get-any-more/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [When they say all expenses paid, does that include bail?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/when-they-say-all-expenses-paid-does-that-include-bail/) [Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/) > [QE and other aspects of Fed policy increased inequality pretty significantly. This is reinforced if you take into account all the other non-standard measures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-epstein/qe-and-other-aspects-of-fed-policy-increased-inequality-pretty/) [Gerald Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-epstein/) > [“It's funny isn't it? People claim to know what love is -- yet the minute they're given the opportunity to prove it -- they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-van-dyken/it-s-funny-isn-t-it-people-claim-to-know-what-love-is-yet-the-minute/) [Rachel Van Dyken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-van-dyken/) > [I could as easily bail out the Potomac River with a teaspoon as attend to all the details of the army.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-as-easily-bail-out-the-potomac-river-with-a-teaspoon-as/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [There are no wealthy people on Rikers Island because if you are wealthy, you go free because you make bail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/there-are-no-wealthy-people-on-rikers-island-because-if-you-are/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [This is the secret I kept from you, Bails, from myself too: I think I liked that Mom was gone, that she could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jandy-nelson/this-is-the-secret-i-kept-from-you-bails-from-myself-too-i-think-i/) [Jandy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jandy-nelson/) > [Hell no / I ain't going to go / Clean out my cell / And take my tail / To jail / Without bail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/hell-no-i-ain-t-going-to-go-clean-out-my-cell-and-take-my-tail-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) Browse all 139 Bail quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In 1848, Thoreau went to jail for refusing, as a protest against the Mexican war, to pay his poll tax. When RW Emerson came to bail him out, Emerson said, 'Henry, what are you doing in there?' Thoreau quietly replied, 'Ralph, what are you doing out there?'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-1848-thoreau-went-to-jail-for-refusing-as-a-protest-against-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bail" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-1848-thoreau-went-to-jail-for-refusing-as-a-protest-against-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/henry-david-thoreau-20_bail_in-1848-thoreau-went-to-jail-for-refusin_1758114.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/henry-david-thoreau-20_bail_in-1848-thoreau-went-to-jail-for-refusin_1758114.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/henry-david-thoreau-20_bail_in-1848-thoreau-went-to-jail-for-refusin_1758114.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In 1848, Thoreau went to jail for refusing, as a protest against the Mexican war, to pay his poll tax. When…” — Henry David Thoreau", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Henry David Thoreau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In 1848, Thoreau went to jail...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-1848-thoreau-went-to-jail-for-refusing-as-a-protest-against-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-1848-thoreau-went-to-jail-for-refusing-as-a-protest-against-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```