-
Period: to
Charles Darwin
Darwin is one the most famous scientists of the 19th century. His works would influence biologists, sociologists, geologists, and philosophers long after his passing. He produced many publications throughout his life, but none would be as famous as his book called 'On the Origin of Species'. He died at the age of 73, after a lifetime of devotion towards the mysteries of life, and the history of the world.
Want some video? See here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NFfSLlCawE -
Born
Born in Shrewsbury, UK. Darwin was the 2nd youngest of 6 siblings, the family was well off and respected.
In reflection during his late years, Darwin said he was never a good student, but was fascinated by nature and it's mysteries since he was a child. -
University of Edinburgh
Here, Darwin learned much about the modern understandings of evolution through his peers and studies. -
Christ's College of Cambridge
It is unclear why he was transferred here from Edinburgh, but it seems that his father significantly influenced his decision to do so. His father encouraged him to become a pastor, instead of becoming a naturalist but, Darwin would focus his attention towards scientific pursuits nonetheless. -
Graduated College
Charles Darwin Graduated in 1831 with a Bachelors of Arts -
Darwin's voyage aboard the HMS Beagle
Eager to leave England, Darwin self financed his journey after convincing Captain Fitzroy to take him on his long voyage around the world. While his voyage would take 5 years to complete, Darwin was only at sea for one and a half years. -
Arrival to Galapagos
Off the coast of Ecuador, the Galapagos islands are isolated, volcanic islands where very few humans have gone before. It is here that Darwin formulated his famous example of speciation, dubbed as Darwin's finches. -
Darwin's Voyage End
While Darwin was away, he frequently wrote to his family and colleagues about his experiences. By the time he arrived back home, was already popular among the elite. -
Charles gets married
Darwin would end up marrying his cousin (a common practice at the time) and have 10 children. Unfortunately, 3 of them did not pass childhood.
In the same year, Darwin released his diaries on his voyages around the world. -
Darwin's change of pace
After becoming very ill from an unknown ailment, his wife convinced Darwin to move his family to the outskirts of London, to a town called Downe. Here, he would work on raising his family, working on his book, and learning/writing about geology, botany, and even solely about barnacles. -
Published 'On the Origin of Species'
After working with Alfred Wallace the year before in a similar theory, Darwin rushed to publish his works that he had slowly been writing for over 20 years.
The main points of the theory: competition, adaptation, variation, overproduction, and speciation.
The current line of thinking at the time was: that life had been created since the dawn of time or after, and had not changed since. He challenged this using evidence from fossils, and from his astute observations. -
Death
Darwin lived with medical issues much throughout his life. People guess that he likely died from complications from a cardiac related illness. He passed surrounded by his friends and family. Died in Downe, UK. His friends petitioned for him to be buried at Westminster Abbey, where he resides today. -
Legacy of Charles Darwin
His works in life would have significant impacts in the world of science. He tried very hard to support his theories with evidence that he had collected from specimens and observations during his career. He would gain much respect from his peers thanks to the way he approached his work, and by how he made arguments. His position of secularism in science helped pave way for even more advancements; not only in biological sciences but also the social sciences. -
Works Cited
“Biography: Constructing Theories.” Discovering Galapagos Evolution Zone, Galapagos Conservation Trust, evolution.discoveringgalapagos.org.uk/evolution-zone/discovering-darwin/darwins-life/biography-constructing-theories. Accessed 25 Apr. 2021. “Charles Darwin.” Brittanica, www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Darwin. Accessed 25 Apr. 2021. “Charles Darwin.” Biography, 2 Apr. 2014, www.biography.com/scientist/charles-darwin. Accessed 25 Apr. 2021.