Why did Thoreau refuse to pay his taxes in protest of the \[ \text { Mexican-American War? } \] At the time, taxes were funding the war. He was the wealthiest man in Massachusetts at the time. He knew it would get the president's attention.

Henry David Thoreau refused to pay his taxes as a form of protest against the Mexican-American War, which he viewed as an unjust conflict driven by the expansionist policies of the United States. Here are the key reasons for his refusal: 1. **Moral Opposition to the War**: Thoreau believed that the war was immoral and unjust, primarily because it was waged to expand slave territory. He was a strong advocate for abolitionism and saw the war as a means to extend the institution of slavery. 2. **Taxation as Support for War**: Thoreau recognized that paying taxes would indirectly support the war effort. By refusing to pay, he aimed to make a statement against the government's actions and policies that he found reprehensible. 3. **Civil Disobedience**: Thoreau's act of tax refusal was a form of civil disobedience, a principle he articulated in his essay "Civil Disobedience." He believed that individuals should not permit governments to overrule or atrophy their consciences, and that it was their duty to resist unjust laws. 4. **Personal Conviction**: Thoreau was not motivated by wealth or a desire for attention; rather, his actions stemmed from a deep personal conviction about justice and morality. He was willing to face the consequences of his actions, including imprisonment, to stand up for his beliefs. In summary, Thoreau's refusal to pay taxes was a principled stand against what he perceived as an unjust war and a broader critique of government actions that contradicted his moral beliefs.