Throughout the history of the world, humans have participated in acts of civil disobedience. However, in the last two centuries, its belief and practice has been in full swing and has also led to great historical events, especially regarding equal rights and just laws. Three great supporters and activists of civil disobedience were Henry David Thoreau, Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi. All three of these men participated in acts of civil disobedience, but each in their own way and for different reasons. Henry David Thoreau believed that a certain war tax was unjust during the Mexican War and refused to pay it. This then led to his arrest and a day in prison where he wrote the essay "Civil Disobedience." Martin Luther King Jr. on the other hand participated in an act of civil disobedience for a much larger and more important reason. He was fighting against segregation in America and for equal rights for all American citizens, including blacks who had been oppressed in America for over 300 years. Loved and followed by thousands, King sought equal rights for both himself and others through nonviolent marches and demonstrations, which in turn led to equal rights for all American citizens, including blacks. Gandhi's participation in civil disobedience was by far the most effective and led to one of the most eventful periods in history; India's independence from British rule. However, even though these men all believed in civil disobedience and equal rights for all, they all achieved their goals through different means and methods, as seen in the three quotes involving different forms of civil disobedience. The three quotes will then be discussed and compared to the works of King, Gandhi and Thoreau. ...... half of the paper ...... them. This situation was also explained when King said, "We know through painful experience that freedom is never given voluntarily by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed." Therefore, all three quotes represent acts of civil disobedience and relate in some way, shape, or form to the philosophies of Henry David Thoreau, Martin Luther King Jr., and Gandhi. The philosophies of these three men show that there is no one way to participate in an act of civil disobedience and that there are certain rules and regulations that those who disobey must follow to achieve their goal. Furthermore, that goal could range from the elimination of an unfair tax, to independence from the government of another country, or to equal rights and opportunities for all..