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Charles Darwin, Origins and Beginnings
Charles Robert Darwin is born Febuary 12th 1809 in Shrewsbury, England. Darwin believes himself to be considered as "a very ordinary boy, rather below the common intelligence"(1). He finds himself with a peculiar interest in the natural world, and even starts his very own beetle collection. In 1831 Darwin earns his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Cambridge University. The Royal Navy then begins an around the world voyage aboard the HMS Beagle, and Darwin is enlisted to join as a naturalist. -
Darwin Departs Aboard HMS Beagle
Darwin spends a total of 18 months aboard the ship. The expedition to South America is to have several ports where Darwin will be able to exit and do research. He is particularly interested in fossils. In South America, he makes note of things no one else would have, such as mussel fossils in a bed of rocks indicating the land had risen. The ship finally makes it to Peru, and in September 1835 begins the voyage home, but first makes a stop in the Galapagos Islands. -
The Gallapagos Islands and Onward
Contrary to the legend, the islands were not where Darwin would formulate his theory of evolution. He makes note that mockingbirds shared different traits on four different islands. The HMS beagle makes it's way home, and Charles Darwin finalizes his 1,750 pages of notes and draws up 12 catalogs of 5,436 skins bones and carcasses. Still he wonders what the root cause of the varying species of mockingbirds could be attributed to. This question would cause an unprecedented paradigm shift. -
Evolution by Natural Selection
Darwin lands home in London and gains instant notoriety. He continues his search for answers, such as why certain species go extinct. In 1842, he starts a draft for his theory of natural selection. In 1859 his theory on natural selection is finally published and is not widely accepted. It would take many years for this new theory to gain traction and eventually be adopted as the sort of doctrine it is today. Darwin dies April 19 1882. -
Youtube Video Link + MLA Citations + Year of Death (Charles Darwin)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0B6os-6uuc MLA Citations:
Desmond, Adrian J. “The Private Man and the Public Debate.” Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 8 Feb. 2020, www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Darwin/The-private-man-and-the-public-debate. “Darwin's Early Life.” New England Complex Systems Institute, necsi.edu/darwins-early-life. Darwin, Charles, and Jim Endersby. On the Origin of Species/Charles Darwin. Cambridge University Press, 2009.
