Charles Darwin (1809-1882)

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Charles Darwin(1809-1882)

• Angeles Meszaros
• Jennifer Medina
• Jesse Ramirez
• Richan Dominguez

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Who is Darwin?

• British Scientist
• A naturalist
• A careful and laborious observer
• Laid the foundation of modern evolutionary
  theory.

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Charles Robert Darwin
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How it all began

• Born in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England on
  February 12, 1809.
• Attended Cambridge University.
• After graduating in 1831, went on scientific
  expedition on the survey ship the HMS Beagle.

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Aboard the Beagle

• Darwin observed several geological formations and
  a vast variety of living organisms.
• The way natural forces affected the shape of the
  earths surface impressed him most.
• In the Galapegos Islands he observed that each
  island had tortoises, finches, and mockingbirds
  that differed in structure and the eating habits.

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Study of the Finches
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Down House
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Settling down

• Darwin continued his research for the next two
  decades.
• In 1839 he married Emma Wedgewood(first cousin)
  and move to a small estate outside London.
• He and his wife had ten children, three died at a
  young age.

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Evolution by Natural Selection

• Basic concept
• The food supply problem described by Malthus,
  leads the young of any species to compete for
  survival.
• The young that survive, produce a generation with
  favorable natural variations, these variations
  are passed on by heredity.
• Each new generation will improve over preceding
  generations gradually(evolution of species).

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Evolution
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Theory Announcement

• Theory was first announced in 1858.
• Complete theory published in 1859, and was titled
  On the Origin of Species. The Origin was
  referred to as the book that shook the world,
  and sold out the first day.
• Included six editions

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Attacks on theory

• Many biologists remarked that Darwin could not
  prove his hypothesis, or how the new variations
  were passed onto new generations.
• Most attacks came from religious people, who
  thought his theory put humans with animals and it
  completely contradicted with orthodox opinion.

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Final Years

• Darwin spent the rest of his life expanding on
  problems raised in the Origin. Other books The
  variation of Plants and animals..(1868),The
  Descent of man(1871)

• Elected to the Royal Society(1839) and French
  Academy of Sciences.

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Final Years

• Charles Darwin was honored by burial in
  Westminister Abbey. After his death in Down,
  Kent April 19,1882