A Historical Chronology: Evolution A Brief History of the Idea of Evolution

Copernicus proposes that the sun, not the earth, is the center of the solar system (shows that: 1543

Copernicus proposes that the sun, not the earth, is the center of the solar system shows that: Changes can occur in theories given proper scientific evidence

Theories & ideas disproven over time: Earth is the center of our solar system Flat Earth Hypothesis All substances made of earth, air, fire, & water Canals on Mars (& Martians?)

1640’sJohn Lightfoot uses Biblical evidence to calculate that God created the world in 3928 BC

1650’sArchbishop James Ussher argues for October 22, 4004 BC

Ussher’s Annals of the World (God creating heaven & earth in 4004 BC)

1701 Bishop Lloyd inserts the date of 4004 BC in the margin of the first page of the Book of Genesis in a new edition of the Bible

For your notes: These 3 (Lightfoot, Ussher, & Lloyd) are: Biblical Scholars (Protestant Theologians) who see the Bible as a book of facts

Linnaeus publishes the 10 th edition of SYSTEMA NATURAE in which he classifies humans, monkeys, apes, lemurs, and bats as “Primates” and first uses the formal taxonomic name Homo sapiens to refer to humans 1758

Ideas prevalent prior to 1800’s: A. World was divinely created

Ideas prevalent prior to 1800’s: A.World was divinely created B.World is very young

Ideas prevalent prior to 1800’s: A.World was divinely created B.World is very young C.All species created at the same time

Ideas prevalent prior to 1800’s: A.World was divinely created B.World is very young C.All species created at the same time D.The world & creatures were static (unchanging)

James Hutton publishes The Theory of The Earth in which he proposes that the appearance of the earth is the result of millions of years of natural processes at work 1795

Hutton was a geologist - influenced by geologic forces like: erosion, sedimentation, volcanoes, earthquakes

The White Cliffs of Dover

Jean Baptist Lamarck argues that acquired characteristics can be passed from parent to offspring (evolutionist) Ex. Giraffes 1809

Charles Lyell publishes the first volume of his Principles of Geology in which he endorses Hutton’s idea about an extremely ancient earth shaped by natural processes (Uniformitarianism) 1830

These two geologists begin the development of two key ideas: DEEP TIME The Earth is really old DEEP CHANGE The has changed a lot over this time

Charles Darwin begins a five year voyage aboard the HMS Beagle 1831

Know this: Darwin was born Feb. 12, 1809 – exact same day & year as: 1831

Abe Lincoln

Darwin reads “An Essay on the Principle of Population” (1798 – Thomas Malthus) and uses it to begin formulating his idea of biological evolution Darwin receives a letter from Alfred Wallace that contains the same idea of how evolution could take place (natural selection) (same idea that Darwin has been working on for 20 years!)

Thomas MalthusAlfred Wallace

The first edition of On The Origin of Species is published by Charles Darwin 1859

Gregor Mendel publishes the results of his research into the hereditary process (but neither Darwin nor anyone else reads it) 1865

Darwin publishes The Descent of Man 1871 A discussion of human evolution

Charles Darwin dies 1882 Westminster Abbey