Charles Darwin Who Was Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin was a British biologist and one of the most influential people of the Victorian era. He was born in Shropshire in 1809. He studied in Edinburgh and at the University of Cambridge. At Edinburgh, he started studying medicine. However, he found it boring so went to Cambridge to do an Arts degree. While at Cambridge, Darwin's interest in natural history grew.

In 1831, Darwin joined the HMS Beagle. The Beagle was a ship going on a 2 year expedition. Although 2 years was the plan, the voyage actually took 5! Darwin saw a lot on the voyage that encouraged him to develop his theories of evolution.

When he returned, however, he had many ideas and it took years to work out his thoughts. He had so many reports on what he had seen that he had to ask for a loan of £1,000 (about £73,000 now) to cover the costs of publishing them.

He eventually released his theories in several volumes. This took several years. After releasing 'On The Origin Of The Species', his most famous book, Darwin focused on plants. He did many studies on the way plants bred and grew.

Darwin married his cousin, Emma Wedgwood, in January 1839. They had 10 children, although 2 died in infancy. Most of his children went on to be very respected members of the scientific world

Why Was He Famous?

Charles Darwin was responsible for the Theory of Evolution. He presented evidence that all life came from one common ancestor. Over millions of years, different species have adapted to their habitats. He calls the adaptation process natural selection.

Natural selection simply means that the living thing most suited to its environment is more likely to survive to pass on its good genes to its offspring.

For example, if a chicken had a gene which meant it only had one leg, it would be far less likely to survive than a chicken with two legs. It would have difficulty moving around to find food compared to other chickens. It would also be easy for hunters to catch. Therefore, it would be less likely to reach an age where it can breed and pass its on-legged genes on.

Darwin's theories receive a mixed reaction. They clashed terribly with the religious view that God created everything. This was called 'intelligent design'. The debate between evolution and intelligent design is still going on today.

He outlines his theory of natural selection in his book 'The Origin of the Species'. The book was published in 1859, over 20 years after he had returned from the voyage. Many people still read this popular book today.

Controversy

'On the Origin of Species' was incredibly popular. It sold more copies than were originally going to be printed. However, some people dismissed Darwin's theories. Others said that natural selection was just part of God's plans.

Darwin was brought up to be religious. However, his voyage did change his views. He said that he saw so much pain and suffering in the natural world he found it difficult to believe that God had planned that. By the end of his life, he described himself as an agnostic - someone who wasn't sure whether they believed in the existence of God or not.

Other great pages to visit in " Medicine " are:
 

The Industrial Age

Industrial Age began late 17th century

Machines were invented

People no longer had to make things by hand

Read More

The Upper and Middle Classes

Society changed during Victorian times

Everyone could make money

Working class people became rich

The London Underground

London Underground connects London

It is a series of tunnels

It is often called the 'Tube'