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Setting Sail
In 1831, 22-year old Charles Darwin set sail with Captain FitzRoy on a trip around the world that was expected to last for two years. -
Coast Of Africa
On the islands of Cape Verde, just off of the western coast of Africa, Darwin decided that he wanted to write a book about everything he sees in all of the places he travelled on this trip. -
Equator
Darwin and his voyage crosses over the equator from the northern into the southern hemisphere, and the whole ship had a shower bath. -
Brazilian Rainforests
A month after his discoveries in Africa, Darwin explored the Rain Forests of Brazil for the first time. He was fascinated with the different plant and animal species, claiming that "Amongst the multitude, it is hard to say which objects are the most striking" as a quote. -
Fossils
In what is today Argentina, Darwin came across some incredible fossils. He said "I have been wonderfully lucky with fossil bones. Some of the animals must have been of great dimension!" -
Falkland Islands
Out of nowhere, Darwin finds another set of previously unknown islands off the eastern coast of South America. These islands are today known as the Falkland Islands, and Darwin found evidence of more fossils on these islands. He described it as a "barren wasteland" before he got there. -
Christian Missionary
Darwin attempted to start a Christian Missionary group off of the coast of Argentina, but it failed miserably and he quickly went back to his scientific work on his voyage around South America. -
Pampas Of Argentina
Darwin circled back up to Argentina a year later, but this time he went further into the inland of the country to the farming land known as the Pampas. He is quoted about the region saying "There is a high enjoyment of the gaucho life - to be able at any moment to pull up your horse" -
Mount Osorno
Darwin, now on the western coast of South America after sailing around the bottom, experienced Mount Osorno's volcanic eruption and ensuing earthquake. This combination of a volcanic eruption and an earthquake was absolutely devastating for the island. Darwin is quoted as saying "I believe this earthquake has done more in degrading or lessening the size of the island, than 100 years of ordinary wear and tear" -
The Famous Galapagos
Darwin made many famous scientific discoveries, but the ones he made in the Galapagos Islands are the ones he is most famous for. Darwin made discoveries about turtles and iguanas, and their different distinctions. He is also known for his discovery about the Finches, which are types of birds. He noticed that different types of birds had different beaks for feeding, which they adapted to. And the birds that did not adapt so that they could eat, ended up dying. This is called natural selection. -
Australia
Darwin noticed that there were completely different mammals living in Australia than in every other part of the world he had visited. -
Coral Reefs
Coral reefs were discovered by Darwin in the Cocos Islands, and he was quoted as saying these "Formations surely rank amongst the wonderful objects of the world" -
Mauritius
On the small island of Mauritius, just off the coast of Madagascar in Africa, Darwin discovered some more lava, stating that the plain "Consisted of a field of black lava smoothed over a course of grass and bushes, the greater part of which are mimosas" -
Cape Town
Darwin's quote about Cape Town, South Africa:
"This great mass of horizontally stratified sandstone rises quite close behind the town to a height of 3,500 feet" -
Back in Brazil
After years of detours that he did not like, zig-zags, and side journeys that Darwin did not want to go on, Charles Darwin finally decided that it was time to go home. -
Home
On October 2nd, 1836, Darwin returned home from his five year voyage of scientific discovery all the way around the world.
