Charles Darwin: Difference between revisions
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==Major Contributions== | ==Major Contributions== | ||
Darwin's most important contribution was his theory of natural selections, which has permeated the study of science since it was first published in 1859. Natural selection "became the foundation of modern evolutionary studies". (Britannica) Darwin is also credited as being an individual who "transformed the way we think about the natural world" (BBC) because of his studies of the evolution of different species. Most significantly, Darwin studied how finches in the Galapogos Islands evovled to suit each different environment found on the islands. | |||
Darwin also changed the way people looked at the creation of humans. His theories of evolution suggested that humans were evovled primates. This point of view was extremely radical for his time because it challenged the religious beliefs that many people held in the mid-19th century. | |||
==Conclusion== | ==Conclusion== | ||
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''The major works of Charles Darwin''. [http://darwin-online.org.uk/majorworks.html] | ''The major works of Charles Darwin''. [http://darwin-online.org.uk/majorworks.html] | ||
''Charles Darwin.'' Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. [http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/151902/Charles-Darwin]. | |||
''Historical Figures: Charles Darwin'' BBC Online. [http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/darwin_charles.shtml] | |||
Revision as of 21:02, 7 September 2008
Overview
Life
Charles Robert Dawrin was born on February 12th in 1809, in Shrewsbury, England. He was the youngest of two sons and the fourth child of Dr. Robert Waring Darwin and Dr. Erasmus Darwin. Charles' mother died when he was eight years old. In Shrewsbury, Darwin started his early education. He was first at a day school for a year, then went on for seven years to Shrewsbury School under Dr. Samuel Butler. In 1825, he went to Edinburgh to study medicine. After two semesters in Edinburgh, he left and went to cambridge as he felt unfit to study medicine. he ended up at Christ's College, and got his degree in 1831 with the idea of being a clergyman in mind. Later on that year, Darwin found a letter from an older scientific man who he was friends with, which urged him to apply for the position of naturalist for a surveying expedition. The journey lasted from December , 1831 to October, 1836. after visiting many exotic locations such as: cape de Verde, Australia, tasmania, the galapagos Islands and others, Darwin decided to stay in great Britain.
Major Works
- Journal of researches into the natural history and geology of the countries visited during the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle (1845)
- On the origin of species by means of natural selection (1859)
- The descent of man (1871)
- The expression of the emotions in man and animals (1872)
Major Contributions
Darwin's most important contribution was his theory of natural selections, which has permeated the study of science since it was first published in 1859. Natural selection "became the foundation of modern evolutionary studies". (Britannica) Darwin is also credited as being an individual who "transformed the way we think about the natural world" (BBC) because of his studies of the evolution of different species. Most significantly, Darwin studied how finches in the Galapogos Islands evovled to suit each different environment found on the islands. Darwin also changed the way people looked at the creation of humans. His theories of evolution suggested that humans were evovled primates. This point of view was extremely radical for his time because it challenged the religious beliefs that many people held in the mid-19th century.
Conclusion
Sources
Charles Darwin Biography. [1]
The major works of Charles Darwin. [2]
Charles Darwin. Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. [3].
Historical Figures: Charles Darwin BBC Online. [4]
