Final answer:
Henry David Thoreau resigned from his teaching post in Concord to protest the government's support for enslavement and the war with Mexico. His act of civil disobedience and writings on passive resistance inspired influential leaders like Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Henry David Thoreau resigned from his first teaching post in Concord, he was protesting the government's use of his money to support enslavement and the war with Mexico. He refused to pay his poll tax, which granted him the right to vote, for a number of years because he strongly objected to these practices. Thoreau's act of civil disobedience and his writings on passive resistance inspired future leaders like Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. to advocate for more individual freedom and nonviolent protest.