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Timeline
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Hutton proposed his theory of gradualism
Hutton proposed his theory of gradualismHutton came to believe that the Earth was perpetually being formed; for example, molten material is forced up into mountains, eroded, and then eroded sediments are washed away. He recognized that the history of the Earth could be determined by understanding how processes such as erosion and sedimentation work in the present day. His ideas and approach to studying the Earth established geology as a proper science. Influence on Darwin:
Earth was always changing. -
Malthus publishes "An Essay on the Principle of Population "
Malthus publishes "An Essay on the Principle of Population "Observed that sooner or later population will be checked by famine and disease. He argued that when population multiplies geometrically and food arithmetically, the population will eventually outstrip the food supply. Influence on Darwin
Competition & struggle for existence due to population growth exceeding food supply. -
Lamarck proposes his theory of evolutionand change of life
Lamarck proposes his theory of evolutionand change of lifeLamarck was struck by the similarities of many of the animals he studied, and was impressed too by the burgeoning fossil record. It led him to argue that life was not fixed. When environments changed, organisms had to change their behavior to survive. Influence on Darwin:
Helped Darwin look for patterns of changes in the samples he had collected in his travels. -
Lyell publishes Principles of Geology
Lyell publishes Principles of Geologyland masses change gradually and unifirmally over time Influence on Darwin:
If the land on earth is changing, life has to change with it as well. -
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Darwin begins his notebooks on the origin of species
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Wallace
Wallace Wallace a young naturalist working in the East Indies, had written a short paper with a new idea. He asked Darwin to evaluate his ideas and pass it along for publication. -
Darwin publishes "On the Origin of Species"
