Figure 1.--Here we see Charles. He was 6-7 years old in 1816. He wears a skeleton suit with an open ruffled collar. His interested in natural history is already apparent. We do not know the story of the portrait, but suspect the plant was his idea. The picture a chalk drawing by Ellen Sharples. Put your cursor on the imge to see the full drawing with is sister Cathetine.

English naturalist Charles Darwin is one of the greatest scientists of all time. His fabeled voyage on the HMS Beagle and ensuing book Origin of the Species fundamentally changed not only science, but philosophy as well as it so fundamentally altered man's outlook. Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection is now the unifying theory of the life sciences, for the first time explaining how the the diversity of the natural world was a result of adapting to their varying environments. As a result, Darwin along with Newton and Einstein must be regarded as the three greatest scientific minds of all time. We note modern fundamentalists criticism that Darwin made mistakes. Actually given the level of biological science, it is staggering how much Darwin got right. Charles' parents were Robert Waring Darwin and Susannah Wedgwood. His father was a respected physcian. Charles was born in Shrewsbury (1809). He was the fifth child snd second oldest son. He showed an interest in natural history from an early age and proved to be a capable, but not very diligent student. His life was unremarkable for a boy from an affluent family. This all changed when he obtained a position on the HMS Beagle (1831). The Royal Navy for much of its history has been on the cutting edge of military technology. As many areas of technology have both civilan and military ramifications, the Royal Navy also made important contributions in many different areas. One of these areas was natural scuence. Some Royal Navy ships carried Naturalists. Some of their worked carried back to England can be seen today at Kew Gardens. One of those naturalists was the young Charles Darwin He was essentially a gentleman companion to the 26-year-old captain, Robert Fitzroy. The Beagle was used for science expedition. Darwin's journals are full of his observation on a range of topics, incluing slavery in Brazil. He made a range of observations in South America. He found fossils in Argentina of extinct animals that were very similar to modern species. In Chile he found marine fossils in the high Andes. At the time geological processes were not yet understood. But it was his work on the Galpagos off Ecuador that is best knoewn. On The Galapagois he found species on the different islands with often only subtle differences. The Beagle visited many other places. He assiduously collected samples of all kinds, but did not really have time to study them in detail. It was an extended voyage. It was an extended voyage. Darwin returned to England after 5 yeats (1836). Darwin devoted himself to years of catalging and studying his notes and specimens. Fradually a number of key conckusions emerged. First, evolution was how species developed. Two, this process was gradual and occurred over long periods, even millions of years. Three, principal mechanism for evolutionary change was a process he callefd natural selection; . Four, the diverity of modern species developed from a single original life form through a branching process he called “speciation”. He spent years working on these ideas. He was hesitant to publish understanding the public and religious reaction to such a radical idea. Other naturalists were also reaching that conclusion. Darwin in the end was the first to publish and developed the most complete expodition of natural selection. After years of procastination, fearing another naturalists was prepasring to publish, Darwin finall published his great worj--On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life (1859). The book is more commonly called The Origin of Species. It of course caused a storm of protest. He was lampooned in the press, often deicted as a kind of monkey man. Darwin followed up his great book with many other works on botany, geology, and zoology. He died (1882) and is buried in Westminster Abbey.

Overview

English naturalist Charles Darwin is one of the greates sciebtists of all time. His fabreled voyage on the HMS Beagle and ensuing book Origin of the Species fundamentally changed not only science, but philosophy as well as it so fundamentally altered man's outlook. Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection is now the unifying theory of the life sciences, for the first time explaining how the the diversity of the natural world was a esult of adapting to their varying envirionments. As a result, Darwin along with Newton and Einstein must be regarded as the three greatest scientific minds of all time. We note modern fundamentalists criticism that Darwin made mistakes. Actually given the level of biological science, it is staggering how much Darwin got right.

Parents

Charles' parents were Robert Waring Darwin and Susannah Wedgwood. His father was a respected and sucessful physcian.

Siblings

To play the role Darwin did in developing a revolutionary hyretical theory and fundamentally changing Western thought, Darwin had to be both a very deterined and persistent individual. And he had to have the ability to withstand intense critism and scathing editorial attacks. Some authors believe that his older sister Caroline played an imporant role in forging the character necessary to do all this. Caroline appears to have taken upon herself the single-minded project of improving, if not perfecting her little brother. Charles looking back as an adult wrote that as a little boy, whnenever he encountered Caroline he would think, "'What will she blame me for now?' and I made myself dogged as as not care what she might say." >br>

Childhood

Charles was born in Shrewsbury (1809). He was the fifth child snd second oldest son. He showed an interest in natural history from an early age and proved to be a capable, but not very diligent student. His father who took a great interest in his studies was worried about this. His childhood was unremarkable for a boy from an affluent family, except perhaps for is badgering older sister.

Education

His father sent him to the University of Edinburgh to study to be a doctor. Charles was, however, horrified when he witnessed his first operation. Anesthestics had not yet been developed. Next his father sent him to Cambridge to be a clergyman. This did not work out either, but Cgarles was beginning to become a more responsible student, debeloping aolif grounding in several field, including biology and geology.

HMS Beagle (1831-36)

This all changed when he obtained a position on the HMS Beagle (1831). The Royal Navy for much of its history has been on the cutting edge of military technology. As many areas of technology have both civilan and military ramifications, the Royal Navy also made important contributions in many different areas. One of these areas was natural scuence. Some Royal Navy ships carried Naturalists. Some of their worked carried back to England can be seen today at Kew Gardens. One of those naturalists was the young Charles Darwin He was essentially a gentleman companion to the 26-year-old captain, Robert Fitzroy. The Beagle was used for science expedition. Darwin's journals are full of his observation on a range of topics, incluing slavery in Brazil. He made a range of observations in South America. He found fossils in Argentina of extinct animals that were very similar to modern species. In Chile he found marine fossils in the high Andes. At the time geological processes were not yet understood. But it was his work on the Galpagos off Ecuador that is best knoewn. On The Galapagois he found species on the different islands with often only subtle differences. All kinds of scientific and philosphical questions ocuured to him. He wondered, for example, if God really took time to create finches with many different beaks or tortoises with different shell patterns. The Beagle visited many other places. He assiduously collected samples of all kinds, but did not really have time to study them in detail. It was an extended voyage. Darwin returned to England after 5 yeats (1836).

Family

Cataloging and Study

Darwin devoted himself to years of catalging and studying his notes and specimens. Fradually a number of key conckusions emerged. First, evolution was how species developed. Two, this process was gradual and occurred over long periods, even millions of years. Three, principal mechanism for evolutionary change was a process he callefd natural selection; . Four, the diverity of modern species developed from a single original life form through a branching process he called “speciation”.

Publication (1859)

He spent years working on these ideas. He was hesitant to publish understanding the public and religious reaction to such a radical idea. Other naturalists were also reaching that conclusion. Darwin in the end was the first to publish and developed the most complete expodition of natural selection. After years of procastination, fearing another naturalists was prepasring to publish, Darwin finall published his great worj--On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life (1859). The book is more commonly called The Origin of Species.

Protest

It of course caused a storm of protest. He was lampooned in the press, often deicted as a kind of monkey man. Darwin followed up his great book with many other works on botany, geology, and zoology. He died (1882) and is buried in Westminster Abbey.

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Created: 5:22 AM 5/1/2010
Last updated: 3:58 PM 6/3/2017