NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote
Charles Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, England, in 1809. He was the son of Doctor Robert Darwin. His father was a wealthy aristocrat, and also a good investor. During Darwin's first years in life, his mother was very ill, and died when he was eight years old.
His father taught him how to act like a proper gentlemen. Robert Darwin sent Charles to the Shrewsbury School in 1822. Charles disliked the school environment and shortly dropped out in 1825. His lack of interest resulted in poor grades. Charles enrolled to study medicine, but never returned after watching a horrifying surgery.
Charles finally earned a degree in theology from Cambridge University, although theology was not his main interest. John Henslow, a professor at Cambridge University, helped start Darwin's path as a naturalist. Charles became known as the "man who walks with Henslow. " Henslow later sent Darwin a letter of gratitude while he was away on his voyage. In 1831, Darwin sailed around the world under the command of Captain Robert Fitzroy. During his trip, Darwin suffered from a prominent case of sea sickness, and had many restless nights swinging back and forth in his hammock. When the Beagle made landfall in South America, Darwin was overwhelmed with happiness.
The Brazilian rainforest was filled with a large number of new, unique specimens that Darwin had never seen before. Darwin started to try and figure out the complex web of nature. He noticed that there were layers of seashells much higher than the sea level. He theorized that the sea had risen and fallen significantly over the years. Darwin also theorized that "man is firmly rooted in the animal kingdom" and that all animals are cousins of each other. Darwin found the most important findings at the Galapagos Islands.
These islands were filled with exotic life. These creatures were prehistoric-like, and not afraid of humans. This island was abundant with similar animals with slight variations. He found finches with small beaks used for insects and berries, and finches with much tougher beaks used for nuts.
He determined that these creatures mutate in order to survive in their environment. This theory became known as "survival of the fittest", or Natural Selection. Natural Selection is natural variations among a specie to insure the species reproductive success. During his voyage around the world, Darwin collected 1, 500 animals, and 4, 000 samples of skin and bones of his specimens. After his return, Darwin married his first cousin, Emma Wedgwood in 1839. A major factor in their marriage was that he could not believe in Christianity.
Darwin was troubled with chills and vomiting. For the next 40 years of his life, Darwin's productivity was cutback. He was unable to work for more than 3 hours at a time. Out of his 10 children, only 7 survived to adulthood. He was a loving father to all of his children, and could not bear to see them suffering. Annie died at age 9, which spurred his belief of the end of a just world.
In 1858, Alfred Wallace wrote a book with almost exact views of Darwin's. This publication threatened Darwin's reputation. In November 1859, Darwin published his Origin of Species. This was one of the most significant and influential publications in history. It was so popular that it sold out on the first day of being released. The Origin of Species unmasked astonishing evidence and challenged God itself.
The Origin of Species explained the Theory of Natural Selection in great detail. The Theory of Natural Selection is basically competition in nature to acquire the desired characteristics that the specie will need to survive. An interesting theory that Darwin believed in was that monkeys and humans came from the same ancestors, but both took different paths and evolved into 2 different animals. In 1871, Darwin published the Descent of Man which outlined human ancestry and animals. As his ideas and books became main stream, his health improved significantly. Cambridge recognized him as a respected elderly figure and honored him with an award.
Unfortunately, Darwin suffered from a heart attack on April of 1882. He died in his wife arms at the age of 73. He was buried on April 26, 1882 in Westminster Abby. He was buried next to Sir Isaac Newton. Charles Darwin was one of the most influential individuals of all time.
His publications revolutionized the world's opinion of mankind and our beginnings. His work had an overwhelming impact on religion. Although many religious figures didn't agree with his theories because it contradicted their beliefs, he never strayed from his own point of view. Charles Darwin was a remarkable shaper of the modern world, and his work will live on forever.
Free research essays on topics related to: charles darwin, origin of species, cambridge university, darwin, theory of natural selection
Research essay sample on Theory Of Natural Selection Origin Of Species
