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Birth of Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin was born in a wealthy rural family in Shrewsbury, England. -
The Beginning
He went to Wales to a sea-bathing trip, and he started recolecting sea shells and bones from dead animals to organize and classificate them. -
Darwin joined the day school
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Death of Darwin´s Mother
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Darwin was apprenticed to doctor
Desperate for the poor performance of their child at school, Darwin's father sends him to Edinburgh University to study medicine. Darwin is leaving after two years, aghast at having to dissect a human cadaver. -
Make a discovery after studying
Later, his studies as a doctor and during his theological studies, presented at the Plinian the discovery that black spores found in oyster shells were the eggs of a leech. -
A New Adventure
Passes his BA examinations on 22 January without honours and remains at Cambridge for a further two terms to fulfill residence requirement. Spends much time with Henslow, and in August accompanies Adam Sedgwick, Professor of Geology, on his annual field trip to Wales. In August he returns to Shrewsbury from Wales to find a letter from Henslow inviting him to join the Beagle voyage. Begins The Beagle diary. After two false starts, the ship leaves Plymouth on 27 December. -
Period: to
Beagle Travel
Darwin embarks as naturalist aboard the research vessel "Beagle" with which goes around the world in 52 months. Take many notes zoology and geology, writes a diary of 770 pages and returns to Europe with 5,400 specimens and live tortoises of the Galapagos Islands. -
Journal of Charles Darwin
After passing the final exam at Christ's College, Cambridge, and his charles issuing a diary where he wrote his first article in which he argued that the mainland of South America was slowly rising, and with the enthusiastic support of Lyell read in Society -
Geographical Society
Darwin was elected to the Geographic Society and the keynote address, which was given by Lyell in his capacity as president, presented the findings of Owen from fossils Darwin, stressing geographical continuity of species as supporting his uniformitarian ideas, -
Moves To London
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An Historical Paperwork
In March takes lodgings in 36 Great Marlborough Street, London. Gives papers at the Geological Society of London. Arranges for his Beagle specimens to be identified. Begins publication of The Zoology of the Voyage of the Beagle (1838-43). Becomes friendly with the geologist Charles Lyell. The naturalist John Gould identifies his bird specimens. In July opens his first notebook on the transmutation of species. -
Darwin´s wedding
Marries Emma Wedgwood on 29 January. Publishes Journal of Researches, later known as Voyage of the Beagle. Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. His first child is born. He and Emma eventually have ten children, seven of whom reach adulthood. Disseminates Questions about the breeding of animals. -
Letter to Lyell
He presents his ideas, taking note that "he refused to see a source for each similar group of species" -
Preparing For Death?
Expands sketch into a longer Essay. Writes a memorandum to Emma Darwin requesting that this essay should be published if he should die unexpectedly, giving the names of several friends who would serve as possible editors. Publishes Geological Observations on the Volcanic Islands visited during the Voyage of HMS Beagle. -
Trip to Malvern
Takes oldest daughter Annie to Malvern where she dies of fever on 23 March, aged ten. In July the family visits the Great Exhibition in London’s Hyde Park. Publishes the first of two volumes on barnacles, A Monograph on the sub-class Cirripedia, and the first of two volumes on fossil barnacles, A Monograph on the fossil Lepadidae. -
A Letter from a Colleague
Alfred Russel Wallace is collecting specimens in Indonesia. Wallace encloses an essay on species and varieties that mirrors Darwin’s own theory of natural selection. 'I never saw a more striking coincidence. ..If Wallace had my MS sketch written out in 1842 he could not have made a better short abstract!' Baby Charles dies of scarlet fever on 28 June. Extracts from Darwin and Wallace’s writings presented by Charles Lyell and Joseph Hooker at the Linnean Society of London on July 1st. -
Origin of Species
natural selection -
Meeting a Friend
Begins to grow a beard after an episode of ill health. Publishes "On the Various Contrivances by which British and foreign Orchids are fertilised by Insects", and "On the Good Effects of Intercrossing". Meets Alfred Russel Wallace on his return from Indonesia. -
Awarded by the Royalty
He is awarded with the Copley medal of the Royal Society of London, its highest scientific honour. -
The Descent of Man
Publishes The Descent of Man, and Selection in relation to Sex. Engages in dispute with St George Mivart, adds a new chapter to sixth edition of Origin of Species to rebut Mivart’s claims. Daughter Henrietta marries Richard Litchfield and moves to Bryanston Street in London where Darwin becomes a regular visitor. -
An Autobiography...
During the summer begins to write an autobiographical memoir for his children and future grandchildren. ‘I know that it would have interested me greatly to have read even so short and dull a sketch of the mind of my grandfather written by himself, and what he thought and did, and how he worked.’ This memoir published in edited form in Francis Darwin’s Life and Letters of Charles Darwin (1887) Publishes The Effects of Cross and Self Fertilisation in the Vegetable Kingdom. -
Darwin Dies...
Darwin dies of a prolonged attack of a mysterious disease at age seventy three. He is buried in Westminster Abbey in London, next to Isaac Newton, Michael Faraday and other great scientists.
