Charles Darwin And The Voyage Of The Beagle

Do you know what the “Voyage of the Beagle” was? Well, it was a Ship that was voyaged by a man named Charles Darwin. But, who was Charles Darwin?

Charles Darwin was born on February 12, 1809. He was born in Shrewsbury, England. Charles was born the youngest out of six siblings. One brother, and four sisters. Charles was rich and privileged. He spent a lot of time by himself, as he was a quiet boy. He played with many animals such as pigeons and beetles.

Charles wanted to start a revolution as a child. ” A Revolution of Thought”. Most people thought Earth and life was created by God. Charles wanted to prove them wrong. He thought Earth was created from science. He thought it was created from evolution.

When Charles was younger, he didn’t think he was a genius. He thought of himself as a simple scientist. He wanted to change the world in ways with science. Charles was very curious and wanted to make many discoveries from animals to plants. But he struggled with giving himself hard questions and never finding answers.

Charles’s father had high expectations for him and his only brother. Charles’s father wanted both his sons to find respectable professions. He wanted them to be great doctors like he was. He wanted them to perform surgery on others. Also, make medicine used to help others.

Charles’s brother Erasmus was sent to medical school in a place called Edinburgh, Scotland where Erasmus would learn how to perform surgery and make medicine. But Charles hated school in Shrewsbury. So, Charles’s father allowed him to go to Scotland at the age of 16. Years later during 1825 Charles started taking classes at Edinburgh University. He watched operations and medicine being made at the University. But he knew medicine wasn’t meant for him.

Charles soon performed his own surgery. With many of the skills that he learned from his time at Edinburgh University. Summer was coming up and Charles was not going to tell his father that he didn’t want to do medicine. Instead, he wanted to do things like hunting and riding animals. Later, Charles confesses to his father. But his father is very unhappy with him not wanting to do medicine.

Later Charles went to another school called Cambridge University. As he’d study to become a minister in a Church of England. Having the career as a Minister was respectable towards Charles’s father. Charles has a Professor that he valued the most. Professor Henslow taught botany. The study of plants, structure, and ecology.

Years later in 1831, Charles is now twenty-two years old. Charles would be sent a letter from one of his friends, Professor Henslow. Charles got the question of a lifetime. “Would Charles like to travel around the world?”. Charles wanted to go to study more on plants and animals. But he had to get permission from his father. Soon, Charles started to question himself. What about the danger they would face going to South America? What about his studies to become a minister? To Charles he thought of it all as a “wild scheme.” He also thought that the voyage would be more exciting than being a minister. Although dangerous, Charles wanted to go on this voyage.

Later, news came to Charles that the voyage would be delayed. So, Charles had time to plan. Charles would keep a diary for the voyage to take notes on things he discovers. Charles’s Uncle Josiah Wedgwood, persuaded Charles’s Father into Charles going onto the Voyage of the Beagle. Josiah got Charles to go to South America.

On December 27, 1831, the Voyage of the Beagle set sail to go the southern coast of South America. The Beagle carried thirty-eight crewmates, including Charles. Charles was excited but nervous and was thinking of his studies the whole trip. He was going to be in South America for two years after all.

Before the Beagle got to its main destination it stopped at a place called “The Cape Verde Islands.” Charles was filled with excitement as if he was a different person. He started his studies with walking on volcanic rocks, collecting new insects he never found in England. Charles was amazed by his own studies. Answering questions he could have never answered before.