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The Mechanism of Adaptions
Charles Darwin knew that animals do adapt but he did not understand the mechanism that would force adaption. It wasn't until he read Thomas Malthus’s Principle of Population that he realized what drove evolution. A competition over natural resources that would push species with or without certain adaptions to either die off or flourish.
Charles Darwin: Naturalist, Revolutionary, and Father of Evolution
Cindy Chen -
Relation to Monkey's
What would be considered Charles Darwin's most controversial work of the 19th century was his theory we were decedents of monkeys. This changed our view of ourselves as for a time we considered ourselves the center or pinnacle of a perfect species. Despite this, Darwin did point out we were very unique in the animal kingdom for our intelligence and creation of civilization.
Charles Darwin (Britannica)
Darwin's Influence on Modern Thought by Ernst Mayr (2009) Scientific American -
The Publish of Origins
Darwin's writings would challenge the current belief at the time Natural Theology and ultimately gain a vast majority of support for his theory. His theory did not need a divine creator although one was still believe in one as his theory didn't disprove god. His theory merely showed the mechanisms of how life evolves. We could now see the life from a purely scientific perspective rather than one that incorporated religion.
Charles Darwin (Britannica)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfsUz2O2jww -
Removal of Teleology
With the publishing of On The Origins of Species also came almost the complete removal of the belief in Teleology. Teleology is the belief that everything in life was created by an intelligent hand and did not bother with how something came to be. The mechanics of how something evolves over time. This world view has dominated since the time of the Greeks.
Darwin's Influence on Modern Thought by Ernst Mayr(2009) Scientific American