1809 | Charles Darwin is born on February 12th in Shrewsbury, England, to Robert Darwin and Susannah Wedgwood. |
---|---|
1825 | Darwin enrolls at the University of Edinburgh to study medicine, but soon becomes disinterested in the subject. |
1827 | Charles Darwin begins studying at Christ’s College, Cambridge, to become a clergyman, but develops a passion for natural history and geology. |
1831 | Darwin graduates from Cambridge with a Bachelor of Arts degree. |
1831-1836 | Charles Darwin embarks on the HMS Beagle voyage as a naturalist, traveling around the world and making important observations on various species and geological formations. |
1839 | Darwin marries his cousin, Emma Wedgwood, on January 29th. He also publishes “The Voyage of the Beagle,” detailing his experiences during the journey. |
1842 | Darwin writes an early draft of his theory of natural selection but does not publish it. |
1858 | Alfred Russel Wallace sends Darwin a letter outlining a similar theory of natural selection, prompting Darwin to present his ideas publicly. |
1859 | Charles Darwin publishes “On the Origin of Species,” presenting the theory of evolution by natural selection to the public. The book becomes highly influential and controversial. |
1871 | Darwin publishes “The Descent of Man,” which applies the theory of evolution to human beings and examines the similarities between humans and other primates. |
1882 | Charles Darwin dies on April 19th in Downe, Kent, England. He is buried at Westminster Abbey. |