Charles Darwins Timeline
1809: Darwin was born February 12, 1809 in Shrewsbury, England
1813: Went to Gros, Wales in the summer with his family. Some of his earliest recollections are from here.
1817: Attends day school in Shrewsbury run by a Unitarian Minister, George Case.
1818: During June, goes to Samuel Butler's school in Shrewsbury. Darwin stayed for seven years as a boarder. Ironically, Butler's grandson became one of the main critics to Darwinism.
1825: Taken out of school in June 17 and was transfered to the Univesity of Edinsburgh with his brother in October 22,1825. Registers for Medical classes.
1826: Meets Dr. Robert Gram, a Lamarackian and naturalist, and examines marine animals. On November 10, Darwin was elected to the Plinian Society, which is a society of honor students who meet to discuss evolutionary science.
1813: Went to Gros, Wales in the summer with his family. Some of his earliest recollections are from here.
1817: Attends day school in Shrewsbury run by a Unitarian Minister, George Case.
1818: During June, goes to Samuel Butler's school in Shrewsbury. Darwin stayed for seven years as a boarder. Ironically, Butler's grandson became one of the main critics to Darwinism.
1825: Taken out of school in June 17 and was transfered to the Univesity of Edinsburgh with his brother in October 22,1825. Registers for Medical classes.
1826: Meets Dr. Robert Gram, a Lamarackian and naturalist, and examines marine animals. On November 10, Darwin was elected to the Plinian Society, which is a society of honor students who meet to discuss evolutionary science.
This is a picture of Cambridge University
1827: Was admitted to Cambridge University on October 18, however did not actually move there until January 1828. Darwin's preliminary degree was in theological training.
1828: Moves to Cambridge and attended Botany classes by John Stevens Henslow.
1829-1830: Studies Entomology and goes on tours around England and Wales with Frederick William Hope.
1829-1830: Studies Entomology and goes on tours around England and Wales with Frederick William Hope.
This picture is of the HMS Beagle, which was the ship Darwin took to visit the Galapagos Islands.
1831: Passes his BA examinations with honors and remains at Cambridge for two more terms to fullfill residence requirements. In August, Darwin travels back home to find a letter from his friend Henslow asking him if he wants to join the HMS Beagle and travel to the Galapogas Islands to study science. However, he was deciding not to go because of his father's wishes until his uncle persuaded Charles to go. Meets Captain Fitzroy and started the Beagle diary. Voyage set off on December 27, 1831.
1832: Darwin makes his first stop on a tropical shore at St Jago, Cape Verde Islands in January 16. Arrives at Tierra de Fuego in December.
1833: Beagle visits Falkland Islands in March. In April to July they traveled around Maldonado. In August to December, traveled to Rio Negro and Montevideo.
1834: Travelled back to recent islands and locations and then left the Magellan Strait travelling to the west coasts of South America in 1834 to 1835. Finally, travels to Chloe Island.
1835: Spends February in Valdivia and early March in Concepcion. Landed in Copiapo, Iquique, and Callao. Also spent time in New Zealand, Tahiti, and explored the Archipelago.
1836: In January visits Sydney, then arrived in Hobart in February. Travelled to the Cocos and Keeling Islands followed by Mauritius. Finishes the First Article, writen by Darwin and Fitzroy, which was eventually published. Travelled to St. Helena and Ascension Islands during July. Also returned back to Brazil to check some readings in August. They finally arrived at the last stop, Azores in September. The Beagle finally landed back home in Falmouth, England in October 2,1836, which was a five and three-quarter years on that voyage. Returns home to Shrewsbury and starts publishing his research.
1833: Beagle visits Falkland Islands in March. In April to July they traveled around Maldonado. In August to December, traveled to Rio Negro and Montevideo.
1834: Travelled back to recent islands and locations and then left the Magellan Strait travelling to the west coasts of South America in 1834 to 1835. Finally, travels to Chloe Island.
1835: Spends February in Valdivia and early March in Concepcion. Landed in Copiapo, Iquique, and Callao. Also spent time in New Zealand, Tahiti, and explored the Archipelago.
1836: In January visits Sydney, then arrived in Hobart in February. Travelled to the Cocos and Keeling Islands followed by Mauritius. Finishes the First Article, writen by Darwin and Fitzroy, which was eventually published. Travelled to St. Helena and Ascension Islands during July. Also returned back to Brazil to check some readings in August. They finally arrived at the last stop, Azores in September. The Beagle finally landed back home in Falmouth, England in October 2,1836, which was a five and three-quarter years on that voyage. Returns home to Shrewsbury and starts publishing his research.
This was one of the many books Darwin made. It was about the wildlife Darwin saw
on his trip around the Galapagos Islands
1837: Moved to Cambridge. Gave research papers from the Beagle Voyage to the Geological Society of England. Began publication on The Zoology of the Voyage of the Beagle. Plans for Beagle specimens to be examined. During July he opened his first notebook on the transmutation of species.
1838: Finishes a paper on the geology of Glen Roy. Proposed to Emma Wedgewood, his cousin, and they moved to London.
1839: Marries Emma on January 29. Finally published Journal of Researches later known as Voyage of the Beagle. Was elected as a fellow of the Royal Society. First child, named William, (one of ten children) was born. Starts questioning about the breeding of animals.
1840: Publishes paper on the formation of mold, however there would not be a book published on this topic until 1881.
1841: Starts writing on a book that will be titled Varieties and Species. Publishes articles on the distribution of erratic boulders.
1839: Marries Emma on January 29. Finally published Journal of Researches later known as Voyage of the Beagle. Was elected as a fellow of the Royal Society. First child, named William, (one of ten children) was born. Starts questioning about the breeding of animals.
1840: Publishes paper on the formation of mold, however there would not be a book published on this topic until 1881.
1841: Starts writing on a book that will be titled Varieties and Species. Publishes articles on the distribution of erratic boulders.
This is the house Darwin moved into with his wife Emma.
1842: Settles down with family in the down house in the village of Downe. Publishes The Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs. On a trip to see his family he had a sudden idea on his theory of descent with modification so he makes a brief sketch to remember.
1843: Starts working on ideas about volcanic islands.
1844: Expands his brief sketch into a large essay. He wrote a memorandum to his wife Emma to make sure that his essay is published by one of his close friends if Darwin died unexpectedly. Published Geological Observations on the Volcanic Islands visited during the Voyage of HMS Beagle.
1845: Expanded and revised Journal of Researches for a second edition
1846: Published Geological Observations on South America. Began working on ideas about barnacles.
1847: Visits British Association of Advancement of Science at Oxford. Continued working on barnacles.
1844: Expands his brief sketch into a large essay. He wrote a memorandum to his wife Emma to make sure that his essay is published by one of his close friends if Darwin died unexpectedly. Published Geological Observations on the Volcanic Islands visited during the Voyage of HMS Beagle.
1845: Expanded and revised Journal of Researches for a second edition
1846: Published Geological Observations on South America. Began working on ideas about barnacles.
1847: Visits British Association of Advancement of Science at Oxford. Continued working on barnacles.
This is a picture of Robert Darwin, Charles dad.
1848: Father dies
1849: Published a chapter on Geology in a Manual of Scientific Inquiry; prepared for use by Her Majesty's Navy.
1850-1852: Kept working on barnacles
1851: Publishes first two volumes on barnacles, A Monograph on the Sub-class Cirripedia and the first two volumes on fossil barnacles, A Monograph on the Fossil Lepadidae.
1854: Publishes his concluding volumes on barnacles, A Monograph on the sub-class to Cirripedia, and A Monograph on the fossil Balanidae and Verrucidae. Afterwards he immediately began working on species book.
1855: Tried many experiments for his theory on salting seeds.
1856: Starts writing his views of a projected big book called Natural Selection.
1857: Whole year spent on writing about his species book.
1850-1852: Kept working on barnacles
1851: Publishes first two volumes on barnacles, A Monograph on the Sub-class Cirripedia and the first two volumes on fossil barnacles, A Monograph on the Fossil Lepadidae.
1854: Publishes his concluding volumes on barnacles, A Monograph on the sub-class to Cirripedia, and A Monograph on the fossil Balanidae and Verrucidae. Afterwards he immediately began working on species book.
1855: Tried many experiments for his theory on salting seeds.
1856: Starts writing his views of a projected big book called Natural Selection.
1857: Whole year spent on writing about his species book.
This is a picture of Alfred Russel Wallace. Darwin's friend and co-worker on evolution.
1858: During June, gets a letter from a man named Alfred Russel Wallace who is working on species as well. As they get to learn about each other's work, they realize that their theories are almost exactly the same. On July 1, two of Darwin's and Wallace's close friends, Charles Lyell and Joseph Hooker, present writings from the two scientific men about species at the Linnean Society of London. However neither Darwin or Wallace attended. Their papers were published in Journal of Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London.
1859: Published On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation in Favored Races in the Struggle of Life in London November 12.
1860: Published second edition of Origin. Foreign editions started to appear. Started working on variation.
1861: Continued working on variation. Published third edition of Origin. Also began working on an Orchid book.
1862: Started getting ill. Published On the Various Contrivances by which British and Foreign Orchids are Fertilized by Insects, and On the Good Effects of Intercrossing. Finally meets Alfred Wallace in person
1863: Became very ill and had many doctors try to find out whats wrong, however the illness stayed until 1866.
1860: Published second edition of Origin. Foreign editions started to appear. Started working on variation.
1861: Continued working on variation. Published third edition of Origin. Also began working on an Orchid book.
1862: Started getting ill. Published On the Various Contrivances by which British and Foreign Orchids are Fertilized by Insects, and On the Good Effects of Intercrossing. Finally meets Alfred Wallace in person
1863: Became very ill and had many doctors try to find out whats wrong, however the illness stayed until 1866.
This is the copley medal, the highest honor in science.
1864: Was awarded the Copley medal of the Royal Society in London, which is the highest honor in science.
1865: Publishes an article on climbing plants in The Journal of the Linnean Society of London called On the Movements and Habits of Climbing Plants. Eventually it was published in a book in 1865.
1866: Published fourth edition of Origin. Continued working on variation book.
1867: Completes his work on variation.
1868: Publishes The Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication.
1869: Publishes fifth edition of Origin. Works on descent of man.
1870: During the whole year worked on Descent of Man.
1866: Published fourth edition of Origin. Continued working on variation book.
1867: Completes his work on variation.
1868: Publishes The Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication.
1869: Publishes fifth edition of Origin. Works on descent of man.
1870: During the whole year worked on Descent of Man.
This is a picture of The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. Darwin's second evolutionary book.
1871: Published The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. Engaged in a dispute with St George Mivart, so Darwin wrote another chapter in the sixth edition of Origin about rebuttling Mivart's claims.
1872: Published sixth edition of Origin. Also published The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals.
1873: Returned working on climbing plants and the second edition of The Descent of Man.
1874: Second editions of Descent of Man and Coral Reefs are published.
1875: Published Insectivorous Plants. Gave evidence to the Royal Commission on Subjecting Live Animals to Experiments.
1876: Wrote a memoir to his children and grandchildren, which was published by Francis Darwin called Life and Letters of Charles Darwin. Darwin published The Effects of Cross and Self Fertilization in the Vegetable Kingdom.
1877: Was awarded Honorary LLD from Cambridge University. Published The Different Forms of Flowers on Plants of the Same Species and A Biographical Sketch of an Infant, which was written from notes about his first child William.
1878: Worked on movements of plants and bloom for a majority of the year.
1879: Published a study of his grandfather Erasmus, Darwin.
1880: Published The Power of Movement in Plants...Assisted by Francis Darwin, his secretary.
1881: Brother Erasmus dies. Published The Formation of Vegetable Mold through the Action of Worms, with Observations on their Habits. A controversy arose about experimenting on live animals, which Darwin supported.
1882: Sadly, he died April 19,1882, at the age of 73. Was buried in Westminster Abbey.
1873: Returned working on climbing plants and the second edition of The Descent of Man.
1874: Second editions of Descent of Man and Coral Reefs are published.
1875: Published Insectivorous Plants. Gave evidence to the Royal Commission on Subjecting Live Animals to Experiments.
1876: Wrote a memoir to his children and grandchildren, which was published by Francis Darwin called Life and Letters of Charles Darwin. Darwin published The Effects of Cross and Self Fertilization in the Vegetable Kingdom.
1877: Was awarded Honorary LLD from Cambridge University. Published The Different Forms of Flowers on Plants of the Same Species and A Biographical Sketch of an Infant, which was written from notes about his first child William.
1878: Worked on movements of plants and bloom for a majority of the year.
1879: Published a study of his grandfather Erasmus, Darwin.
1880: Published The Power of Movement in Plants...Assisted by Francis Darwin, his secretary.
1881: Brother Erasmus dies. Published The Formation of Vegetable Mold through the Action of Worms, with Observations on their Habits. A controversy arose about experimenting on live animals, which Darwin supported.
1882: Sadly, he died April 19,1882, at the age of 73. Was buried in Westminster Abbey.
Interesting fact number seven. Darwin was almost not allowed on the HMS Beagle because of the shape of his nose. Captain FitzRoy believed that he could tell someone's characteristics by their physical features and thought Darwin would not have a lot of energy because of his nose.