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Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin was born February 12, 1809 in Shrewsbury, England. Charles had four older siblings including three sisters: Susan, Caroline, Marianne and brother Erasmus. He was the second son and fifth of six children to Robert and Susannah Darwin. Robert was a doctor and his father Erasmus was a physician and a poet, Erasmus was the author of Zoonomia; or the Laws of Organic Life. At eight years old Charles' mother Susannah passed away. He was then raised by his three older sisters. -
Charles Darwin Goes to School
Between 1818 and 1825 Charles went to Anglican Shrewbury School. During this time science was considered dehumanizing in public schools. Darwin was condemned by his head master for playing with chemistry. In 1825 at 16 years old Charles' father sent him to study medicine at Edinburgh. In the two years that Charles spent here he felt that he hasn't learned anything in medicine. He transferred to Christ's College, Cambridge in 1828 where he got 10th place in the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1831. -
The Beagle Voyage
In 1831 Charles Darwin received an invitation of a lifetime to sail the world on The Beagle. The Beagle set sail from England on December 27, 1831. At 22 yrs old Charles was on 5 year long adventure where he spent roughly 18 months on the ship and the rest of the time on his own adventures. On his adventures he collected many fossils, gathered data, he even witnessed Mount Osorno Volcano erupt and a week later an earthquake. Charles finished his 770 page diary as his voyage came to an end. -
The Start of Natural Selection
In 1832 Darwin started to think about the idea of evolution. In 1837 Charles studied the works of John Gould on the differenct species of mockingbirds within the islands of Galapagos. He later came up with "transmutation" aka Evolution. This was considered blasphemous and an abomination. For the next 2 decades Darwin would keep his studies to himself. During these years he's studied immensely, he's gained respect throughout the community. In 1857 Darwin was sworn in as a Justice of the Peace. -
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On the Origin of Species
On Nov 24th 1859 Darwin published his book "On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favored Races in the struggle for Life" The book gives a layout of evolution by natural selection. His studies are supported by evidence from multiple disciplines including genetics, geology, paleontology, and biology. Darwin was ridiculed for an example he gave on how a bear could become a whale. We now know today he had the right theory just the wrong animals. -
RIP Charles Darwin
April 19, 1882 Charles Robert Darwin passed away at his home in London. Charles Darwin has shaped the way we view our world and everything that we know. He has carved the way for biology as we know it. We still study evolution and the way we view our environment today.
