Alexis Charles Henri Maurice Clerel de Tocqueville was born July 29, 1805 in Verneuil, France near Paris. Third son of Comte Herve Bonaventure de Tocqueville, a perfect and mayor of Verneuil. Custom in that time, Alexis and his brothers were taught by the village priest, abbe Lesueur, who educated them of their noble birthright and aristocrat heritage. Although elder Tocqueville had sworn loyalty to Napoleon, whose reign ended in 1814, the family returned to Paris so Herve de Tocqueville could assume his position in the royal court of the Bourbon king Louis XVIII.

In 1820, Tocqueville was sent to Metz were he studied rhetoric and philosophy in secondary school and the college royal. He then returned to Paris to study law in 1825. He was then appointed as a juge auditeur (mediator) in Versailles were he met Gaustave de Beaumont, who became a life long friend and co-author of The U.S. Penitentiary System and its Applicatio

Much can still be learned in Tocqueville's writing. He was a moderate liberal, which is different today then this title was in Tocqueville's day. He was for small government, equality, and liberty. He feared the "tyranny of the majority," which he felt would destroy the freedoms of the people. His work, Democracy in America was not to measure the mastery of United States but to look how France could learn from the emerging democracy that was sweeping the west. It is my goal to learn more about this man and even read this book, Democracy in America. Works Cited

"Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859)." DISCovering Biography. 1999. Galenet.

n in France. (1833) This writing was done after they traveled to the in United States in 1831. After the July Revolution of 1830, Tocqueville and Beaumont grew restless of their positions and wanted to study the prison system in America.

Upon returning to France, Tocqueville and Beaumont continued to travel throughout Europe. In 1835, Tocqueville met Mary Mortley in England and they were married on October 26. This marriage was not favored by either family because Tocqueville being a French magistrate. But this seemed to never effect the marriage. Mary assisted Tocqueville in his writing and helped publish his works. Tocqueville served in political positions during the different eras of the revolution. After the Second Republic was dead, Tocqueville was elected to a committee charged with writing a new constitution. But because of short tempered personality, poor health, and being imprisoned for protesting against Louis Napoleaon's coup in 1851, he was driven into privacy.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Americans France, Tocqueville French, Authority Festival, Louis XVIII, Process Constitution, Cannes France, July Mixture, Custom Alexis, Tocqueville Beaumont, Beaumont Tocqueville, de tocqueville, alexis de, alexis de tocqueville, democracy america, tocqueville alexis, 4 1999, alexis charles henri, alexis charles, henri maurice, charles henri, henri maurice clerel, beaumont tocqueville, book democracy, charles henri maurice, maurice clerel de,
Approximate Word count = 1165
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)