Thoreau uses the Mexican-American War as an example of civil disobedience within the government. He claims that the will of the people is no longer a priority for the government. Because the government supports slavery and its practice of aggressive warfare. Thoreau states that this fits his criteria for unjust government. After six years in which Thoreau did not pay his taxes, i.e. he no longer participated in the institute, he was arrested. He didn't pay taxes because he felt the poll tax was supporting the Mexican-American War and the expansion of slavery in the West. However, it turned out that the poll tax had nothing directly to do with the war appropriations. After being released from prison, he wanted to stay in prison to raise public awareness of the issues that would follow