PROMPT   

This is an exercise in ethics and civics.

Revisit Thoreau's essay "Civil Disobedience" and the discuss the following:

So what do you think  about Thoreau’s premise?  What foundational ideals of American  government and society supports Thoreau's argument?   Is civil disobedience by American citizens ever justified?  If yes,  under which circumstances?  If you say no, explain why not?   

Note: You  are required to use some historical examples from time period of this  course in your initial post. In addition, you may also use examples from  the period of 1865 to the present as support for your argument (not  required)  

Be sure to address issues of ethics and civics  in your analytical initial post.  Make comments on three other initial  posts, offering meaningful debate/analysis on their key points.

Requirements  

1. Use  only the materials provided in the course module (including your  assigned textbooks and lectures).  We have vetted all materials in this  course and other materials may or may not be appropriate for college  level work. I will downgrade anyone who uses outside materials.
2. Remember  what you have learned about thesis statements and evidence in the  Historical Methods Portfolio.  Your post should have a thesis statement  and it should have both primary and secondary source evidence in support  of the thesis
3. DO NOT QUOTE any primary or secondary sources.  Paraphrase in your own words and then cite instead.
4. You must properly cite using the Turabian/Chicago style.  
5. Primary sources - You  may only use primary sources posted in the Blackboard course module OR  found under the primary source section of each chapter  in American Yawp (always the second to last section of a chapter); you  may not utilize sources linked to in the reference section of  American Yawp.
6. To cite a primary source posted in Blackboard:  Author of Document, Name of Document in Lesson #.#
7. To  cite a primary source found in the primary sources section  of Yawp:  Author Document, Name of Document in American Yawp, Chapter #,  Section #

Grading Guidelines  

NOTE:  We will grade the very first post you make as your initial post.   Therefore, do not access the discussion board until you are ready to  post. If you make an empty post and then come back later and make an  initial post, we will grade the first empty post and you will earn a 0.   We hate to be so draconian but we have had issues in the past with  students posting "hi" or an empty post and then copying from what others  have submitted. This is unfair to those students who submit early and do their own original work.

After you make your initial post, you will respond to three other students (or the instructor) with meaningful comments.  "I agree," "I'd never thought about that," or other "me, too" type posts are not meaningful. Meaningful posts respond to the historical content of the original poster and add to the historical conversation.  

Initial Post Requirements and Grading Guidelines

1. Must contain strong thesis statement
2. Must utilize at least one assigned primary source and one secondary source- no outside sources allowed
3. Must utilize specific and detailed historical facts/examples in support of your main thesis
4. Must use Turabian/Chicago FOOTNOTEs
5. Graded upon historical accuracy, clarity, weight of evidence, historical context, logic of argument, and following instructions.
6. Graded upon grammar and mechanics
7. While  you will NOT be able to attach a file, you can write up your initial  post in Word and the copy and paste it into the comment box of the  discussion