-
Period: to
Circumnavigation of the Globe
Between the years 1831 and 1836 Charles Darwin circumnavigated the globe aboard the HMS Beagle. During his travels he made numerous expeditions into the untamed lands of the world and observed a plethora of life forms that fed his curiosity and gave him valuable evidence to contribute to his eventual theory on the origin of species and evolution. -
Natural Selection
In 1838 Thomas Malthus wrote his "Essay on the Principle of Population." This essay presented the idea that populations would increase at a rate that food production could not sustain. This idea was closely tied to the "Poor Law" of 1834 in which sick poor people were placed into work houses separated by gender so that they would not reproduce and place more burden on society. This gave Darwin the idea that nature allowed the best adapted animals to survive while the weak ones perished. -
Period: to
Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle
Charles Darwin received a £1,000 Treasury Grant from Cambridge. He used this grant to hire experts in the field of zoology and published the descriptions that they gave him of his observations in a 5 part book titled, "Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle" between the years 1838 and 1843. These 5 parts helped him organize his observations and prepare them for future analysis and an eventual formation of theories. -
On The Origin of Species
On November 24, 1859, Charles Darwin's greatest work, "On The Origin of Species" was published. This book provided much of the foundation and framework for all scientific research and study in the fields of evolution and relations between species. Its publishing led to him being considered as one of the most controversial scientists of his time, but also one of the greatest and most influential scientists in history.
