Today in Wheeling History: November 26--Alexis de Tocqueville, the renowned French aristocrat and political thinker, visits Wheeling during his 1831 journey through the United States to study American society and its democratic institutions (1831).
On November 26, 1831, Alexis de Tocqueville and Gustave de Beaumont visited Wheeling, West Virginia, during their journey through the United States. Their steamboat was wrecked near Wheeling, giving Tocqueville his second experience of nearly drowning. This visit was part of their mission to study American society and its democratic institutions, which later culminated in Tocqueville’s seminal work, “Democracy in America.” Born on July 29, 1805, in Paris, France, Tocqueville traveled widely in the United States, taking extensive notes on his observations. Their journey included stops in various cities, where they observed aspects of American life, including the political system, social structures, and religion. The visit to Wheeling provided firsthand experiences of American society and its challenges, greatly influencing Tocqueville’s later writings on democracy.
On November 26, 1997, C-SPAN’s Alexis de Tocqueville Tour: Exploring Democracy in America made a stop in Wheeling, West Virginia. This tour retraced the path taken by Tocqueville and Beaumont during their 1831-32 visit to the United States. The tour aimed to explore themes from Tocqueville’s “Democracy in America” and included stops in 55 communities. The C-SPAN School Bus traveled to each location, including Wheeling, to provide historical context and engage with local historians, journalists, and citizens. The tour highlighted the enduring relevance of Tocqueville’s observations on American democracy and provided a platform for contemporary discussions. The programs were part of C-SPAN’s morning news and call-in show, Washington Journal, featuring contributions from historians and academics. The visit to Wheeling reflected on the city’s historical significance and its role in the broader narrative of American democracy.
To learn more: C-SPAN (https://shorturl.at/NkgaU), Historical Marker Database (https://shorturl.at/YaQjr), Wikipedia (https://shorturl.at/WLVox) (https://shorturl.at/H5gAi), History (https://shorturl.at/EM0eo)
Photo credits: Wikimedia Commons
On November 26, 1831, Alexis de Tocqueville and Gustave de Beaumont visited Wheeling, West Virginia, during their journey through the United States. Their steamboat was wrecked near Wheeling, giving Tocqueville his second experience of nearly drowning. This visit was part of their mission to study American society and its democratic institutions, which later culminated in Tocqueville’s seminal work, “Democracy in America.” Born on July 29, 1805, in Paris, France, Tocqueville traveled widely in the United States, taking extensive notes on his observations. Their journey included stops in various cities, where they observed aspects of American life, including the political system, social structures, and religion. The visit to Wheeling provided firsthand experiences of American society and its challenges, greatly influencing Tocqueville’s later writings on democracy.
On November 26, 1997, C-SPAN’s Alexis de Tocqueville Tour: Exploring Democracy in America made a stop in Wheeling, West Virginia. This tour retraced the path taken by Tocqueville and Beaumont during their 1831-32 visit to the United States. The tour aimed to explore themes from Tocqueville’s “Democracy in America” and included stops in 55 communities. The C-SPAN School Bus traveled to each location, including Wheeling, to provide historical context and engage with local historians, journalists, and citizens. The tour highlighted the enduring relevance of Tocqueville’s observations on American democracy and provided a platform for contemporary discussions. The programs were part of C-SPAN’s morning news and call-in show, Washington Journal, featuring contributions from historians and academics. The visit to Wheeling reflected on the city’s historical significance and its role in the broader narrative of American democracy.
To learn more: C-SPAN (https://shorturl.at/NkgaU), Historical Marker Database (https://shorturl.at/YaQjr), Wikipedia (https://shorturl.at/WLVox) (https://shorturl.at/H5gAi), History (https://shorturl.at/EM0eo)
Photo credits: Wikimedia Commons
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