February 12 - Darwin Day AND Lincoln's Birthday

Posted on February 12, 2021

This is an update of my post published on February 12, 2010:

 

Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln were famously born on the very same day--this date in 1809--Darwin in England and Lincoln in the U.S. 

Darwin was born to a well-to-do family and ended up becoming one of the most important scientists of all time, and Lincoln was born in a much poorer family and ended up becoming one of the most important U.S. Presidents.

There have been articles and even books comparing the two, and we found out that both men lost their mothers in childhood, had strained relationships with their fathers, and suffered from depression. Both had difficulties settling on a career. Lincoln piloted a river raft, split rails, and served as a store clerk, postmaster, and surveyor before becoming a lawyer and finally seeking political office. Darwin, as the son of a wealthy society doctor, was supposed to become a doctor as well but neglected his studies at medical school. His disappointed father enrolled him in another university program so that he could become a parson in the Anglican church instead. However, after graduating, Darwin, who had always been interested in nature, took a position on the H.M.S. Beagle as a gentleman naturalist, and so began his career in science.

The most significant likeness between Darwin and Lincoln, of course, is that they both had major impact on the world.

Lincoln was president during the dreadful U.S. Civil War, when southern states broke away from the country and formed the Confederate States of America in response to efforts to limit the spread of slavery. Lincoln's act of keeping the nation together shaped how the U.S. thought of itself—more a country than a collection of states—and widened the commitment that the nation was based on the idea that “all men (humans!) are created equal.” Of course, Lincoln had enormous impact on the United States itself, but Lincoln also helped set up the country as an important, long-lasting nation on the world stage, and eventually a super-power.

Darwin had a big idea - evolution (slow, gradual change) of plants, animals, and other living organism through natural selection. That big idea revolutionized all of biology and changed how people thought of themselves and their history. Because findings in biology mesh with findings in geology, chemistry, and other sciences, Darwin's theory of evolution through natural selection has had an impact on other scientific fields and even the philosophy of science.

 The language of evolution and selection has been applied (sometimes incorrectly) far outside of Darwin's Origin of the Species, and astronomers talk talk about the evolution of stars, linguists discuss the evolution and extinction of languages, social scientists describe the reproduction and mutation of memes (bits of human culture, such as a particular song or style of dress), and economists discuss evolutionary models of monetary systems.

One reason for the influence of Lincoln and Darwin is that they both wrote exceptionally well. Here are some quotes from the two men:

A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life. – Darwin

A house divided against itself cannot stand. – Lincoln

A man's friendships are one of the best measures of his worth. – Darwin

Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them? – Lincoln

It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change. – Darwin

America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves. – Lincoln

To kill an error is as good a service as, and sometimes even better than, the establishing of a new truth or fact. – Darwin

As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy. – Lincoln

Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science. – Darwin

Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm. – Lincoln

Learn more about Lincoln.

Here is an illustrated timeline of Abraham Lincoln's life.

And here is a short video about him.


Learn more about Darwin.

Here is a short video about Darwin's life; it has cartoon-like illustrations. 

Attend a Darwin Day event.

This international celebration includes many local events, some held in museums and universities. This year is bound to have mostly virtual / distanced / zoomed events...

Check for a local event here.

Also on this date:

 Youth Day in Venezuela

Darwin Day

(original post)

Lincoln's birthday

(original post)

Prima ballerina Anna Pavlova's birthday

Paul Bunyan Day

Paleontologist Barnum Brown's birthday

Folk artist Simon Rodia's birthday 

Union Day in Myanmar

Safety Pup Day

Birthday of activist and educator Fannie Barrier Williams

Anniversary of a toddler's (!) exhibition in an art gallery

Chinese New Year

(also here - here - here and here)

Losar in Tibet

(varies)

No One Eats Alone Day

(Second Friday of February)

Plan ahead:

Check out my Pinterest boards for:

• February holidays
• February birthdays
• Historical anniversaries in February
  
  

And here are my Pinterest boards for:

• March holidays
• March birthdays
• Historical anniversaries in March
  

February 24 – Anniversary of The Descent of Man

Posted on February 24, 2015

When asked, “What book did Charles Darwin write?” most people who answered at all would say, “On the Origin of Species.” That was his first book about evolutionary theory, and it made the biggest splash in terms of controversy from scientists and the general public alike.

But although that first book implied that, if modern animals had evolved from simpler forms, humans, too, had evolved from "lower" animals—Darwin had been careful not to explore that concept in Origin. He let it just hang there, in the air: it was implied, not clearly stated.

Actually, Darwin had so little wanted to provoke controversy, he had sat on his unpublished evolutionary theory for 20 years! But in 1859, Origin was published, the word was out, and the firestorm of response began.

Flash forward to this date in 1871. In the 11 years since Origin, plenty of people had discussed and debated and written and published ideas about the evolution of human beings, but now Darwin weighed in on the topic with his book The Descent of Man. Finally Darwin was ready to state that humans, too, had evolved. People had common ancestors with other animals and even plants and mushrooms and protists!

(Remember, Darwin was not the first to claim that humans evolved. But his account of how evolutionary theory applied to humans was an important step in the field.)

A lot of people have made claims about the book The Descent of Man: Darwin was racist, they say, or Darwin wanted to kill off “weaker” humans in favor of the strong. Eugenics—the idea of making the human race better by making the genetic pool better, taller, smarter, stronger, more beautiful, by controlling breeding—is supposed to have gotten its start with Darwin's book.

It is clear that Darwin was a bit racist by today's standards. However, for an Englishman of his own time—a time when many argued that different races were actually different species—Darwin was notable for how minor he thought racial differences were. His book argued, with evidence, that all humans were the same species and shared common ancestors, and pointed out the similarities between all peoples. Also, Darwin was an abolitionist. He first saw slavery in Brazil, while on his famous voyage on the Beagle, and it had horrified him. He thought that “the race question” was one of the most important of his time.

Before Darwin (and unfortunately,
in some cases, even after
Darwin), some people would
have answered this plea, "No,
you're not a man and a brother."

It is also clear that Darwin seemed to think that it was inevitable that less technological people would either die off or be absorbed by what he called “civilised races.” However, he actually argued that people should NOT try to weed out the “weak” but instead should help the weak and the ill.

Darwin's work and book promoted our modern view: that all humans are the same species; that all people came from “savage” origins; that cultural differences swamp any minor physical differences among peoples.

Also on this date:

SingleTasking Day 

Anniversary of a Clogged-Up River Being Cleared

Independence Day in Estonia 

Mexico's Flag Day

Robot-building pioneer Vaucanson's birthday

Plan ahead:

Check out my Pinterest boards for:

• February holidays 
• February birthdays 
• Historical anniversaries in February

And here are my Pinterest boards for:

• March holidays 
• March birthdays 
• Historical anniversaries in March

February 12, 2010

Darwin Day AND Lincoln's Birthday 

Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln were famously born on the very same day--this date in 1809--Darwin in England and Lincoln in the U.S. Darwin was born to a well-to-do family and ended up becoming one of the most important scientists of all time, and Lincoln was born in a much poorer family and ended up becoming one of the most important U.S. Presidents.

Last year, upon the occasion of these two men's 200th birthdays, articles and books compared the two, and we found out that both men lost their mothers in childhood, had strained relationships with their fathers, and suffered from depression. Both had difficulties settling on a career. Lincoln piloted a river raft, split rails, and served as a store clerk, postmaster, and surveyor before becoming a lawyer and finally seeking political office. Darwin, as the son of a wealthy society doctor, was supposed to become a doctor as well but neglected his studies at medical school. His disappointed father enrolled him in another university program so that he could become a parson in the Anglican church instead. However, after graduating, Darwin, who had always been interested in nature, took a position on the H.M.S. Beagle as a gentleman naturalist, and so began his career in science.

The most significant likeness between Darwin and Lincoln, of course, is that they both had major impact on the world.

Lincoln was president during the dreadful Civil War, when southern states broke away from the country and formed the Confederate States of America in response to efforts to limit the spread of slavery. Lincoln's act of keeping the nation together shaped how the U.S. thought of itself—more a country than a collection of states—and widened the commitment that the nation was based on the idea that “all men are created equal.” Of course, Lincoln had enormous impact on the United States itself, but Lincoln also helped set up the country as an important, long-lasting nation on the world stage, and eventually a super-power.

Darwin and his big idea revolutionized all of biology and changed how people thought of themselves and their history. Because findings in biology mesh with findings in geology, chemistry, and other sciences, Darwin's theory of evolution through natural selection has had an impact on other scientific fields and even the philosophy of science. The language of evolution and selection has been applied (sometimes incorrectly) far outside of Darwin's Origin of the Species, and linguists now discuss the evolution and extinction of languages, social scientists discuss the reproduction and mutation of memes (bits of human culture, such as a particular song or style of dress), and economists discuss evolutionary models of monetary systems.

One reason for the influence of Lincoln and Darwin is that they both wrote exceptionally well. Here are some quotes from the two men:

A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life. – Darwin

A house divided against itself cannot stand. – Lincoln

A man's friendships are one of the best measures of his worth. – Darwin

Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them? – Lincoln

It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change. – Darwin

America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves. – Lincoln

To kill an error is as good a service as, and sometimes even better than, the establishing of a new truth or fact. – Darwin

As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy. – Lincoln

Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science. – Darwin

Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm. – Lincoln

Check out a Lincoln timeline.

Some kids and their teachers at Berwick Academy made an illustrated timeline of Abraham Lincoln's life. After you enjoy looking at it, consider making a similar contribution on a topic that interests you! The internet is a very democratic institution—anyone can add to the writings, art, and photography available on the web!

Find out more about Lincoln here.

Watch a movie about Darwin.

This clip from Animal Planet, about Darwin and the Galapagos Islands, is short and funny. This clip from National Geographic deals with Darwin in a more serious way and has beautiful photography.

Attend a Darwin Day event.

This international celebration includes many local events, some held in museums and universities. Check for a local event here.

November 24, 2009

150th Birthday of The Origin of Species!

This has been the year of Charles Darwin, British naturalist and author of The Origin, because this year marks his bicentennial birthday as well as the sesquicentennial anniversary of the publication of his most famous book.

On this date in 1859, the first printing of The Origin of Species went on sale. Priced at 15 shillings each, the 1,250 copies immediately sold out, and 3,000 more copies were quickly ordered. According to the Word Wench's blog, “Swordplay,” “British conservatives were shocked: this heretical pop science book was being read in the drawing room, in the high street!”

Darwin's theory of evolution through natural selection is a primary foundation of biology. According to Wikipedia, “Darwin's book introduced the theory that populations evolve over the course of generations through a process of natural selection. It presented a body of evidence that the diversity of life arose through a branching pattern of evolution and common descent.” Natural selection, which offers the explanatory power of Darwin's theory, states that, of those traits that can be inherited, the traits that make it more likely that a creature will live longer and reproduce more successfully tend to become more common in populations over subsequent generations.

In simpler terms, lifeforms change over time. Traits of creatures that succeed in having lots of babies are, of course, the traits that are passed down to those babies.

Darwin's book was meant for the general public as well as for other scientists. Darwin was a very good writer and tried hard to be understood. The end of The Origin has been quoted often this year, for good reason:

There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.

• The Tree of Life web project aims to “contain a page with pictures, text, and other information for every species and for each group of organisms, living or extinct.” It is being compiled from experts and amateurs. Browse around—there are dinosaurs and jellyfish and all manner of other creatures here!

A simpler website with a browse-able “tree of life” can be found here.

• .There are lots of other sorts of activities here.