THE EVOLUTION OF EVOLUTIONARY

THEORY

Hutton and Lyell

James Hutton (1726-1797) and Charles Lyell (1797-1875):

-Studied the forces of wind, water, earthquakes, and volcanoes.

-Concluded that the Earth is very old and has changed slowly over time due to natural processes.

E. DarwinErasmus Darwin (1731-

1802):-suggested that that

competition between individuals could lead to changes in species

-was Charles Darwin’s grandfather.

LamarckJean Baptiste Lamarck (1744-

1829):-was the first scientist to

propose a mechanism by which organisms change over time.

-hypothesized that living things evolve through the inheritance of acquired characteristics.

Through the study of fossils, Lamarck noticed a drive towards complexity and theorized that each species came from a species less complex.

Lamarck believed that evolution was based on 2 principles:

1. Law of use and disuseThe more an animal uses a certain part of the body, the stronger and better developed it becomes

2. Inheritance of acquired characteristics Characteristics an organism developed through use and disuse could be passed on to its offspring

MalthusThomas Malthus (1766-1834):

-observed that human populations cannot keep growing indefinitely. If the human birth rate continued to exceed the death rate, eventually humans would run out of living space and food.

- believed that famine, disease, and war prevented endless population growth.

C. DarwinCharles Darwin (1809-1882):

-formulated a theory of evolutionby natural selection based on observations made during his voyage on the Beagle and of selective breeding of farm animals, plants , and pets.

-drafted manuscripts outlining his theory in the 1840s but hesitated to release them to the public.

-published his most famous work “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection” in 1859.

WallaceAlfred Russell Wallace (1823-1913): -proposed a theory of evolution by

natural selection similar to that of Darwin’s theory.

-wrote a paper and sent it to Darwin to review., spurring Darwin on to agree, finally, to the release of his theory. (In 1858, Charles Lylle presented Darwin’s 1844 essay and Wallace’s paper to the public.)

Just think…

Imagine that you are 21 years old and have just graduated from university. You aren’t quite sure whether you want to settle down and start working in your field of study. You have always enjoyed going on hikes and observing nature. One day you see a job advertisement in the paper. The government is looking for people to work on a five-year surveying expedition around the coast of South America.

Would you apply for the job? Why or why not?

TASK #1: Create a timeline

Put the previous scientific theorists and evolutionary discoveries on a detailed time line.

Research the Miller Urey experiment and one additional scientists/scientific discovery in the field of evolution. Add these two finding to your timeline.

Include: -The Name of Each Theorist-Important Dates-Brief Notes on each Theorists Major Findings

TASK #2: Darwin’s Journey

Read the story of Darwin and use the website:

to learn more about Darwin’s voyage on the Beagle and his scientific discoveries. Take notes!

Use the information gathered to fill in a map summarizing the process of discovery that led Darwin to formulate his theory of evolution by natural selection.