Charles Robert Darwin was born on February 12, 1809 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. Charles was one of six children and came from a long line of scientists. His grandfather, Dr. Erasmus Darwin, created the theory of evolution and his father, Dr. Robert Waring Darwin, was a well-known physician in his community. When Charles was 16, in 1825, his father sent him to the University of Edinburgh to study medicine, in the hope that Charles would also become a doctor. However, after three years of study, Charles left Edinburgh University for Christ's College because he could not tolerate blood during surgery. It is important to note that anesthesia was not used during this period. In 1831, six years after beginning his studies, Charles received a Bachelor of Arts degree in botany from Christ's College. In 1839, at the age of 30, Charles married his cousin Emma Wedgwood. They had ten children together. Most of their children were healthy; however, one of their children, Annie, died very young of typhoid, and another Charles Waring Darwin, was born mentally disabled, probably due to Charles and Emma's ages. At the time of their son's birth, Charles was 47 and Emma was 48. Unfortunately, Charles Waring Darwin died a few years later from scarlet fever. Darwin's health slowly declined before he died in 1882, aged 73. For several years, Charles suffered from angina which can be described as painful chest spasms caused by underlying coronary artery disease. These chest spasms are caused by a range of physical activities and stress-induced emotional states (www.britannica.com). In March 1882, Charles had a seizure and then on April 19, 1882 he died of a heart attack in Downe, ...... middle of paper ...... respected by many, but known by few during his lifetime . His theory has had a wide influence on many areas of education and areas of study. Charles Darwin was best known for his theory of natural selection; however, he produced many important works during his life. Charles was a wealthy socialite, scientist, and family man. Charles Robert Darwin will never be forgotten and will continue to be taught in educational institutions for years to come.ReferencesBuss, DM (2009). The great struggles of life: Darwin and the emergence of evolutionary psychology. American psychologist, 64 years old, 140 – 148. Charles Darwin. (nd). In Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/151902/Charles-Darwin van Wyhe, J. (2002). The complete works of Charles Darwin online. Retrieved from http://darwin-online.org.uk/biography.html