BIOLOGY 943 AROUND THE WORLD WITH DARWIN

TEXTBOOK: Charles Darwin's Beagle Diary edited by R.D. Keynes, Cambridge University Press.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:  Charles Darwin's presence on the voyage of the HMS Beagle made this possibly the most famous scientific voyage of the 19^th Century.  Lasting nearly five years (1831-1836), it was a voyage of discovery for the young man who was to become a famous scientist.  It can also be a voyage of discovery for students of the 21^st Century.  We will read Darwin's diary of the voyage and compare what he saw with the way these places look today.  The instructor has traveled and photographed nearly all the places that Darwin visited and will emphasize changes in these ecosystems since Darwin saw them.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:  Students will:

• Read Darwin's diary of his voyage on the HMS Beagle.
• Understand something about Darwin, the man, and voyages of his time.
• Know the immediate history of the factors that led to Darwin's presence on the voyage.
• Learn about conditions in these countries today cf. Darwin's time
• Know about Darwin's life subsequent to the voyage.
• Understand the experiences that led to Darwin's formulation of his theory of natural selection as the underlying mechanism of evolution.       

TOPICS COVERED:

• Introducing Darwin
• Maps
• Arrival and early experiences in South America
• South America
• Galapagos Islands
• The Pacific
• New Zealand
• Australia and west
• Home at last!

Life after the voyage