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Birth
Charles Darwin was born Charles Robert Darwin on the 12th of February 1809 in Shrewsbury, England. His father’s name was Robert and his mother’s name was Susanna. He had 1 brother and 4 sisters. -
Shrewsbury School
Charles Darwin started going to Shrewsbury School, which he hated and often ran home from at night then came back before the doors closed. -
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School And University
During this time Charles went to Shrewsbury School to learn poetry and writing, The University Of Edinburgh to study medicine and The University Of Cambridge to study divinity. -
The University Of Edinburgh
At the age of sixteen Charles Darwin and his brother, Erasmus were sent to The University Of Edinburgh by their father to study medicine. There he met Professor Robert Grant who he shared his evolution theories with. -
The University Of Cambridge
At the age of eighteen after spending 2 years a The University Of Edinburgh, Charles went to Christ’s College at Cambridge University. There he met another professor called John Henslow who was an expert on botany. Charles liked John’s lectures very much and he became Charles’s mentor and took him on trips to see various rare plants and animals. Charles liked John very much, but what he didn’t know was that this bloke would be a pathway to another very exciting adventure in Charles’s life! -
The Voyage Begins!
While Charles was on a geological tour of Wales his mentor and friend, Professor John Henslow sent him a letter saying that a Captain called Robert Fitzroy wanted someone to accompany him on a voyage around the world on the H.M.S. Beagle. Charles wanted to go but his father said no, though luckily his uncle Josiah Wedgewood convinced him. They left from Plymouth on the 27th of December and visited many places including Brazil, the Galápagos Islands, Australia, Cape Town and many other places. -
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The Voyage Of The H.M.S. Beagle
During this time Charles Darwin was on the H.M.S. Beagle which went all over the world to many different places. -
The Voyage Ends
After travelling around the world for 5 years on an amazing adventure, Charles Darwin finally returned to England and his family. On the journey Charles collected many finds including fossils and remains some extinct creatures. These creatures included a Giant Ground Sloth, a Gomphothere and a type of extinct horse. Charles also collected some species that were living and even discovered some species of Galápagos Finches. To collect specimens and keep them from decaying Charles used Taxidermy. -
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Books
From when the Beagle voyage began to the end of his life, Charles Darwin published and wrote many books. Some of these include The Voyage of the Beagle, The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex, The Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication, The Expression of the Emotions In Man and Animals and The Different Forms of Flowers on Plants of the Same Species. Amazingly, these are only a few of the books Charles Darwin made. -
Marriage
In 1839, 3 years after the Beagle voyage, Charles Darwin got married to Emma Wedgewood, his cousin. At the time they were married Emma was 30 and Charles was 29. Together they had 10 children, 8 of whom survived till adulthood. Their names were Francis, Leonard, George, Elizabeth, Horace, Henrietta, Mary, Anne who was his favourite child and yes, even a Charles. -
On The Origin Of Species
On the 24th of November 1859 Charles Darwin published his theories of Evolution and Natural Selection to the public and other scientists of the time. He did this by publishing a book over 400 pages long. This book was called On The Origin Of Species. -
Death
After a long time living and battling many different illnesses, Charles Darwin died at the age of 73 on the 19th of April 1882. He died of Congestive Heart Failure and was buried in Westminster Abbey alongside Sir Issac Newton. He is remembered for his books and theories and changing the way modern science and biology is thought about.
