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Birth
Charles Darwin, in full Charles Robert Darwin, was born on February 12th, 1809, in a tiny merchant town of Shrewsbury, England. His family was quite wealthy as they were all in scientific fields of profession. -
Education
Darwin was a gifted student and at age 16 he enrolled at the University of Edinburgh. Two years later, he became a student in the prestigious Christ's College in Cambridge. Darwin's father hoped he would become a doctor, but the sight of blood made Charles uneasy. He instead followed his instincts and chose to study natural history -
5-Year Trip Around the World
Darwin took a naturalist's position aboard a ship called the HMS Beagle that embarked on a 5-year survey trip around the world. This voyage proved the be the opportunity of a lifetime for the budding naturalist. -
Galapagos
While on his 5-year journey, Darwin's time spent in the Galapagos Islands would prove to be of great importance to his research. This location had a monumental effect on his view of natural history and became a focal point of his idea's about evolution. -
'Origin of Species'
After years of scientific investigation, Darwin published his best-known work entitled, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. In this book, Darwin detailed his theory of evolution, which would later be proven factual after advancements in DNA technology.
Origin of Species -
Social Darwinism
In the late 1800's, the term 'Social Darwinism' was coined which adopted Darwin's theory of evolution to explain social and economic issues. While Darwin himself rarely commented on the link between his ideas and human society of the time, the term has remained in the Zeitgeist well after his death. -
Death
Darwin died on April 19th, 1882 at the age of 73 at his family home in London, England and was buried at Westminster Abbey.