Darwin and Wallace Flashcards

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Who was Charles Darwin?

He was a British scientist who first clearly explained evolution by natural selection.

Who was Alfred Russel Wallace?

He was a British scientist who also came up with the idea of evolution by natural selection, working mainly in South America and Asia.

What main idea about life on Earth was shared by Darwin and Wallace?

They both said that species change over many generations by evolution through natural selection.

What voyage helped Darwin develop his theory of evolution?

His five-year journey on the ship HMS Beagle. On this trip he studied many different plants and animals around the world.

What did Darwin notice about finches on the Galápagos Islands?

He saw that different islands had finches with different beaks, suited to the food on each island.

What kind of observations helped Wallace think of natural selection?

He saw that similar species lived on nearby islands. Each had small differences that helped it survive in its own habitat.

What happened when Wallace sent Darwin his ideas on natural selection in 1858?

A meeting of the Linnean Society presented both Darwin's and Wallace's ideas together for the first time.

Why was Darwin's book 'On the Origin of Species' important?

It set out the theory of evolution by natural selection and gave a lot of evidence to support it.

Why did many people at first reject Darwin and Wallace's ideas?

Their ideas clashed with many people’s religious beliefs. There was also little scientific evidence and genes were not yet known.

Why are Darwin and Wallace's ideas about evolution now widely accepted by scientists?

They are supported by strong evidence from fossils, from living organisms and from DNA studies.