he met charles carroll, the last surviving signer of the declaration of independence and the only catholic to sign that document, and sam houston, the future president of the first president of the republic of texas. he attended town meetings in new england, observed slave markets in the south. he visited indian villages in the michigan territory, voyaged on steam boats that shortly after he disembarked blew up. it was a highly hazardous form of transportation. he traveled by stage coach. he winter to columbia, south carolina. he did not, unfortunately for himself, make it to charleston. tocqueville was an aristocrat whose family suffered during the french revolution. they could trace their heritage back to the norman times, the invasion of william the conquerer. some of his ancestors were part of that army. his great grandfather, a distinguished philosopher and lawyer, who was defense council in the trial of king louis xvi was gill teened after his client. tocqueville's father escaped the gill teen. when he left the prison at age 22 his hair had turned completely white. this was a family