In “Civil Disobedience” Thoreau emphasizes the need for self-confidence (“Clendenning”). This statement is appropriate because Thoreau was one of the most self-sufficient men of his period. He was an individual and loved nature. Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) is closely associated with the Transcendentalism movement, which lasted only ten years in the 1830s and 1840s. Transcendentalism is the belief in self-sufficiency, individuality, social reform, and reliance on reason. Henry David Thoreau's love of nature, languages, and contemporary English, as well as the growth of transcendentalism, greatly influenced the life of this great American author. Henry David Thoreau did not come from a rich and distinguished family (Olsen). However, his family found a way to afford to send him to Harvard College. Thoreau barely passed the entrance exam to Harvard College (Clendenning). While attending Harvard he studied several languages ​​and English composition (Olsen). In 1836 he was forced to withdraw from school due to illness (Clendenning). During this time he met Ralph Waldo Emerson who eventually wrote to Harvard on behalf of Thoreau for financial help (Olsen). Thoreau was finally able to return to college and graduated on August 30, 1837 (Olsen). This fact is important because it tells what school Thoreau attended, the courses he took, and also teases the fact that he met Ralph Waldo Emerson who would eventually become the model for Thoreau's work. Transcendentalism was popular in the 1830s and 1840s. It lasted just 10 years. Transcendentalism is the belief that knowledge is not limited and derived exclusively from experience and observation (Clendenning). The solution to human problems lies in the free development of the individual...... middle of paper ......n with Emerson led him to start the movement of Transcendentalism, which became natural to him because of his love for nature. The author's personal experiences are greatly reflected in their work. Works Cited Bankston, Carl L., III. "Civil disobedience". Literary reference center. EBSCO, November 2010. Web. May 8, 2014. Clendenning, Giovanni. “Thoreau, Henry David.” Advanced World Book. World Book, 2014. Web May 7, 2014. Clendenning, John. “Transcendentalism”. Advanced World Book. World Book, 2014. Web 8 May 2014. Kinsella, Kate. Prentice Hall Literature. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007. Olsen, Steven P. Henry David Thoreau. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, 2006 Transcendentalism, American literary and philosophical movement. “Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th edition (2013):1. Literary reference center. Network. May 12 2014.