R119th

Charles Darwin, //On the Origin of Species__.__// 1859
 * 1) Changes in religious thought and institutions.

Charles Darwin postulated the revolutionary idea of evolution. He thought to explain the course of evolution through theories written in his book, //On the Origin of Species//__.__ He believed that a species survival depended on its characteristics. This was the theory of natural selection. It stated that only the variations of characteristics that aided to the struggle for survival would be reproduced. This new thought defied the idea of using biblical stories to explain the development of our world. Darwin created a dynamic controversy by scientifically proving the theory of evolution. People, such as the popular Social Darwinists, described Darwin’s theory using the phrase “survival of the fittest,” relating science to solve the social problems in the population.

Mckay, John P., Bennett D. Hill, and John Buckler. __A History of Western society__. 7th ed. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2003.