Charles Darwin 1809-1882

  • Birth

    Born February 12th to a physician named Robert Darwin in Shrewsbury, England
  • College

    Darwin attends Christ's College in Cambridge and begins collecting insects with entomology friends
  • Graduation

    Darwin passes his BA exams and spends takes his annual trip to Wales
  • Beagle Voyage Begins

    Darwin sets sail on the Beagle
  • Touring Islands

    Darwin spends 5 years touring islands in South America and New Zealand. He experienced geographical changes with volcanos and earthquakes and saw many species of animals. Most famously he saw many species of animals that were closely related to each other in the Galapagos Islands.
  • Begins Publication of Zoology of the Beagle Voyage

    Darwin returns to England and starts translating and publishing his field notebooks which were encased with information from the beagle voyage. He publishes The Zoology of the Voyage of the Beagle (1838-1843). His publications would make him a known naturalist.
  • Volcanic Islands Publication

    Publishes geological observations on volcanic islands that he visited during his voyage more specifically in Chile.
  • Natural Selection

    Darwins writes On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life (Murray, 1859) This is what Darwin is known for and where he reasoned that living beings compete over resources and only the most fit for that region survive. Hence, "Natural Selection" and "Survival of the Fittest" terms are derived. It explains how decent with modification works. The fittest survive and reproduce, passing down the good traits.
  • Variation of Plants and Animals

    Darwin publishes The Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication
  • 6th edition Origin

    Darwin keeps updating his works on The Origin and publishes his 6th edition to answer more questions that were brought up about his theory.
  • Death

    Darwin Dies in his him at the age of 73