The Voyage of the Beagle facts for kids
The Voyage of the Beagle is the common name for a book written by Charles Darwin. He first published it in 1839. Its original title was Journal and Remarks.
The book is about the second trip of the ship HMS Beagle. The ship left Plymouth Sound in England on December 27, 1831. Captain Robert FitzRoy was in charge.
The trip was supposed to last only two years. But it ended up lasting almost five years! The Beagle did not return until October 2, 1836. Darwin spent most of this time exploring on land. He was on land for three years and three months. He was at sea for 18 months. The ship would drop him off in different places. Then it would pick him up later.
Contents
About the Book
The book is an exciting travel story. It is also a detailed science journal. It covers topics like biology (the study of living things), geology (the study of Earth's rocks and land), and anthropology (the study of human societies).
Darwin wrote his observations when Europeans were exploring the whole world. The book's chapters are organized by the places Darwin visited. This makes it easier to understand.
Darwin's Discoveries
Darwin's notes from the trip show how he started to think. He saw many plants, animals, rocks, and fossils. These things made him ask questions he could not answer at the time.
On his way back home, new ideas began to form in his mind. Later, he developed these ideas into his theory of evolution by natural selection. The second edition of his book, published in 1845, even hints at these ideas.
A Big Mistake
Darwin later realized he made a big mistake. He did not write down which specific Galapagos Islands some of his animal and plant samples came from. He knew this was a mistake because he understood something important. Islands are like high mountains. They often have many unique species that are found nowhere else.
This idea helped him start to think about geographical speciation. This is the idea that new species can form when groups of animals or plants are separated by geography. Less than a year after the Beagle returned, Darwin started a secret notebook. He called it his 'transmutation' notebook. In it, he wrote down his ideas about how species change over time.
More Information
- Darwin, Charles 1839. Voyages of the Adventure and Beagle, volume III – Journal and remarks, 1832–1836. This was the first edition of the book.
- Darwin, Charles 1845. Journal of researches into the natural history and geology of the countries visited during the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle round the world, under the Command of Capt. Fitz Roy, R.N. This was the second edition.
- You can read more about the book online: Darwin Online: Introduction to the book
Images for kids
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Illustration from Journal of Researches into the Natural History and Geology
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See also
In Spanish: El viaje del Beagle para niños
