The life of Charles Darwin

Charles Darwin, who was also a English Naturalist, became the foundation of modern evolutionary studies. His mind searched in curiosity. It was because of it that he had come up with the scientific Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection. His Theory shows how every living thing on Earth is connected. And it explains how  every plant and animal came to be. This man’s unique and eager hunger taught the generations after him about the organisms that have developed into what they are today.                               

                          Early life

Charles’s family was rich, with Robert Darwin, his father, working as a successful doctor, and Sukey Wedgewood, his mother, working in an inherited pottery business. Both made enough money, for Charles, along with his five siblings, to live in luxury at a huge house (‘The Mount’) in Shrewsbury. Collecting things was Charles’s favourite hobby as a young boy. He loved the outdoors exploring and collecting and treasuring things: shells, seals, coins and minerals.

Tragically, his mother died when he was eight years old, leaving his sisters to teach him at home. Miserable, he started school, though all he wanted was to be outdoors again exploring and collecting.  Charles adored  his elder brother, Erasmus. He loved  his lively and mischievous personality. They would set up experiments like burning chemicals and growing crystals.

                          School Life

He was only 9 years old when he was sent to boarding school. He found it a bore continuously studying Ancient Greek and latin. Without top marks, university was out of the question. His father wanted Charles to be a doctor like him, so he left school at sixteen and spent the summer following his fathers footsteps.

He didn't wish to disappoint his father so he decided to move to Edinburgh university to begin his doctor studies. He hated it there.  As a result, two years later, he abandoned these studies. He went on to Cambridge university to study to be a clergyman. He loved cambridge. Charles, once again, focused on bug collecting. He would hunt through the gunk at the bottom of boats for beetles and many other small insects too.

                      Voyages

Charles went on a fossil hunting trip in Wales, when he got back home, a letter was sent by captain Robert FitzRoy to take a trip around the world.  

‘The Beagle’ set sail on the 27th December 1831. Charles got to see faraway places, the wonders of the world and South America! When he arrived at the galapagos islands he filled his notebooks with descriptions of the people, places, plants and animals.  The islands had hot, black rocks, stubby smelly shrubs and black sandy beaches. He spent five weeks exploring and collecting; he found many unusual animals and plants.

                         Discoveries

Charles filled notebooks about his ideas of the Theory of Evolution. He wrote to experts around the world to find out as much as he could. This included reading hundreds of books! However one of the most important books to him was an essay on the Principle of Population by Thomas Malthus.

He realised that animals were connected to one another! His Theory was that one had descended from another!

In 1839 he wrote a book about his journey to the Galapagos islands ( ‘Beagle’ adventures). It was later called the ‘The Voyage Of The ‘Beagle’ and it became the world's bestselling book!  In 1845 a new version hinted at his incredible Theory Of Evolution.     

Darwin died just before 4pm, on 19th April 1882, but it wasn't of his lifetime illness but apparently of heart attack.  

By Yasmin