voyage to the galapagos video answer key

If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website.

If you're behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains *.kastatic.org and *.kasandbox.org are unblocked.

To log in and use all the features of Khan Academy, please enable JavaScript in your browser.

Big History Project

Course: big history project   >   unit 5.

• READ: Gallery — Voyage of the Beagle

ACTIVITY: The Voyage of the Beagle

• READ: Darwin, Evolution, and Faith
• READ: Crick, Watson, and Franklin
• READ: Henrietta Lacks’ Immortal Legacy - Graphic Biography

Preparation

• What information do these images provide about the voyage Darwin made and the kinds of ecosystems he explored?
• fossils of extinct animals?
• How did Darwin explain the fact that there were different types of finches, with different beaks, on each of the islands of the Galapagos?

For Further Discussion

Want to join the conversation.

• Upvote Button navigates to signup page
• Downvote Button navigates to signup page
• Flag Button navigates to signup page

Charles Darwin and his trip to the Galapagos Islands

Charles Darwin, his book “The Origin of Species”, and the theory of evolution will always be associated with the Galapagos Islands. If you’ve been to the islands, then you’ll attest when I say that they’re home to some of the most extraordinary and unique animal species, including, but not limited to rays, sharks,  sea lions, fur seals ,  iguanas , and  giant tortoises .

To top off the astounding fauna, Galapagos island’s plants are just as mind-blowing. Throughout the highlands, you will find trees that evolved from daisies and others that are covered in striking lichens and mosses. In the lowlands, on the other hand, you will find lots of cacti plants that have astonishingly adapted to the region’s climate, which is usually cool at night but hotter during the day.

That said, today, we’re going to talk about Charles Darwin’s expedition on the islands and how it contributed to his thoughts that would later result in his book “The Origin of Species.”

Charles Darwin’s Expedition

Born in the merchant township of Shrewsbury, England on Feb 12, 1809, Darwin was the 4 th  of six kids. And one of the main things that sparked his interest in science was the fact he came from a long line of scientists. Dr. Erasmus Darwin, his grandfather was a celebrated botanist whereas Dr. Robert W Darwin, his father was a medical doctor.

So after completing his studies at Cambridge’s Christ’s College at the age of 22, Charles Darwin decided to pursue his passion for collecting insects, plants and geological specimens. In 1831, the young man started his 5-year expedition aboard the HMS  Beagle  after persuading the Captain, Robert FitzRoy, to let him tag along as the ship’s naturalist.

The voyage started on December 27 th , 1831 at Plymouth bay and ended on October 2 nd , 1836 in Falmouth. The first specimens Darwin collected were plankton and marine invertebrates that he found on the boat. Captain Fitzroy’s mission, on the other hand, was to create accurate maps and charts of the region since new trade relations were being established with South America and the coastline was uncharted at the time. The first destination the boat stopped at was the western side of Africa: Cape Verde’s archipelago to be more specific. Here, Darwin studied the beaches’ formations, but soon after the boat left for Brazil: Where Darwin had the opportunity to admire and collect species in the  Amazon Rain Forest .

From Brazil, they left for Bahia Blanca, Argentina, where Darwin explored sea shells and fossils of big extinct mammals. In fact, these are what sparked the young man’s interest in the mutability of species.

The last destination they checked out before reaching the  Galapagos Islands  was Chile. Here, Darwin saw a powerful earthquake that awarded him the chance to witness the uplifting of the layers. This, coupled with the marine evidence that he came across in the mountainous regions of  Peru , led Darwin to better understand that geological uplifting and movements usually result in the formation of coral reefs and sinking of islands.

Getting to the Galapagos Islands

When they got to the Galapagos Islands four years later, Charles Darwin definitely got more than he had bargained for. Remember, Darwin was initially only interested in the  island’s volcanoes , but it’s the unique flora and fauna that would leave a lasting impression on him.

After arriving on September 15, 1835, the HMS Beagle and Darwin stayed in Galapagos for two months. And during this period, Darwin had the chance to tour a handful of islands, where he collected multiple Galapagos specimens for research purposes.

Some of the islands he checked out include  Santiago ,  Isabela ,  Floreana , and  San Cristobal .

San Cristobal was the first island he checked out from September 16 th , 1835. Here, he carefully studied how the lava flows then went on to theorize about its formation. The second Island he explored aboard the Beagle was Floreana.

At Floreana, Darwin had the opportunity to gather species and collect the second bird that would lead to his important conclusions later on. This bird was the Floreana Mockingbird.

The third island was Isabela, and he went there on September 29 th , 1835. In his field book, Darwin described this island as the most uninhabited and volcanically active of all.

The last, but by no means the least island Darwin disembarqued on was Santiago. He went there on October 8 th . It was also the island where he spent the most time. At this point he understood that the islands were a bit more special than he had first thought when he arrived, so he explored the entire island accompanied by several crew members who were there to help him carry the specimens he was collecting.

Santiago was the first place he also realized that tortoises from all islands were different and had evolved to different sizes and shapes depending on their surroundings and feeding characteristics.

Darwin left the Galapagos Islands on 10/20/1835.

What’s more, all the specimens he collected across the islands would go on to be the same ones that Darwin would use to illustrate his controversial theory of evolution.

Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution

During Darwin’s expedition to the Galapagos aboard the HMS Beagle in the 1830s, he realized that certain  animal species  (finches for instance) were typically the same from one island to the next, but each one of them had succeeded in adapting to their specific environs in different ways.

One of the features that puzzled Darwin was the bird’s beaks. He noticed that they all had slightly distinct shapes that made each specific bird fitter for survival on its island.

Today, there are 26 species of birds native to the Galapagos Islands and 14 of them make up the cluster known as Darwin’s Finches. This group of birds is also considered one of the fastest evolving vertebrates in the world.

Charles Darwin’s Theory of Endemic Species

The idea and theory of endemic species was also central to Charles Darwin’s arguments in his book. For those not accustomed to this theory, it explains why certain species can only be found in specific locations around the world and not elsewhere on the planet.

With this theory, he, once again, used the Galapagos Islands to explain and prove his concept. In his book, he wrote:

“This fact might have been expected on my theory for, as already explained, species occasionally arriving after long intervals in a new and isolated district, and having to compete with new associates, will be eminently liable to modification, and will often produce groups of modified descendants”

In simpler terms, Charles Darwin implies that endemic species on the remote islands migrated from different parts of the world but adapted over a very long period of time to become new species, leaving their original characteristics behind.

At least once in your life, ensure you check out the same place that inspired Darwin’s groundbreaking evolution theories, the Galapagos Islands. They lie around 605 miles off Ecuador’s coast and you can easily access them by flying from Guayaquil or Quito on the mainland. What’s even more mind-blowing about these islands is that the wildlife has no natural predators, so none of them are afraid of letting humans get up close and personal.

Galapagos Entry Requirements

Family Travel Guide

Galapagos: When to visit

We have more information for you, check out these topics.

HMS Beagle: Darwin’s Trip around the World

Charles Darwin sailed around the world from 1831–1836 as a naturalist aboard the HMS Beagle . His experiences and observations helped him develop the theory of evolution through natural selection.

Biology, Geography, Earth Science, Geology, Ecology

Loading ...

Idea for Use in the Classroom

Charles Darwin set sail on the ship HMS Beagle on December 27, 1831, from Plymouth, England. Darwin was 22 years old when he was hired to be the ship’s naturalist . Most of the trip was spent sailing around South America. There Darwin spent considerable time ashore collecting plants and animals. Darwin filled notebooks with his observations of plants, animals, and geology . The trip was an almost five-year adventure and the ship returned to Falmouth, England, on October 2, 1836.

Throughout South America, Darwin collected a variety of bird specimens . One key observation Darwin made occurred while he was studying the specimens from the Galapagos Islands. He noticed the finches on the island were similar to the finches from the mainland, but each showed certain characteristics that helped them to gather food more easily in their specific habitat. He collected many specimens of the finches on the Galapagos Islands. These specimens and his notebooks provided Darwin with a record of his observations as he developed the theory of evolution through natural selection .

Have students work in pairs to use the map and the resources in the explore more tab to create a social media feed that includes five dates and posts from the expedition. Students may need to conduct additional research to ensure their proposed posts are factual and something Darwin would have seen on the trip. Help students brainstorm ideas for their posts by asking: What types of animals would Darwin have seen? Are any of them extinct today? What types of plants did he note? What types of geology did he see? What would you imagine some of the hardships the explorers would have encountered on this voyage?

Articles & Profiles

Media credits.

The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited.

Production Managers

Program specialists, last updated.

October 19, 2023

User Permissions

For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. They will best know the preferred format. When you reach out to them, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource.

If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media.

Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service .

Interactives

Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. You cannot download interactives.

Related Resources

• Acknowledgements
• Accessibility
• Privacy & legal
• Sustainability

this text does not appear on the site, the glossary page is constructed automatically from the post type.

Discovering Galapagos

KS3 teachers resources

Currently displaying all resources.

1.1.1 Colonisation

Discover  |  Life on the Islands  |  Wildlife of Galapagos  |  1.1.1 Colonisation

Introduce students the concept of ecosystem interactions and interdependencies with this section. Using the concept of succession, illustrate how the environment influences the type of organisms that are able to survive in any given area. It also shows how organisms are, in turn, able to shape their environment.

1.1.2 Animals and Plants

Discover  |  Life on the Islands  |  Wildlife of Galapagos  |  1.1.2 Animals and Plants

Familiarise your students with a range of animals and plants that live on and around the Galapagos Islands. This section introduces a number of key species, which will be referred to in later lessons. Discuss the implications of endemic species being vulnerable to extinction. Students should consider how the extinction of one species can impact on biodiversity and the wider ecosystem.

1.1.3 Classification and Keys

Discover  |  Life on the Islands  |  Wildlife of Galapagos  |  1.1.3 Classification and Keys

Teach students how to classify Galapagos animals and plants into groups of similar organisms, using keys. This section explains how taxonomic keys can be used to classify living organisms.

1.2.1 Habitat Zones

Discover  |  Life on the Islands  |  Ecology and Habitats  |  1.2.1 Habitat Zones

Introduce students to different habitat zones of Galapagos. This section explains how environmental conditions shape the nature of habitat zones and, as a result, the ecosystem that form in them.

1.2.2 Food Chains and Webs

Discover  |  Life on the Islands  |  Ecology and Habitats  |  1.2.2 Food Chains and Webs

Introduce students to food webs and food chains using the wildlife of Galapagos for illustration. This section explains how energy transfers through ecosystems as a result of consumption.

1.2.3 Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health

Discover  |  Life on the Islands  |  Ecology and Habitats  |  1.2.3 Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health

Examine the importance of biodiversity for ecosystem health in the Galapagos. This section explains why species populations fluctuate and what impact this can have on the health of the ecosystem.

1.2.4 Environmental Threats

Discover  |  Life on the Islands  |  Ecology and Habitats  |  1.2.4 Environmental Threats

Introduce students to environmental threats that wildlife on the Islands face. This section explores the problems of human activity and invasive species to Galapagos wildlife.

1.3.1 Basic Concepts in Genetics

Introduce your students to basic concepts in genetics. This section introduces the concept of genetic variation through considering inherited and environmental variations. Students will also research the structure of DNA.

1.3.2 Adapting to Various Environments

Introduce your students to adaptation of species.  This section focuses specifically on adaptations of the land and marine iguanas, as well as the Galapagos giant tortoise. Students will choose a case study species of their own to explain how they have adapted to their environment.

1.3.3 Charles Darwin and Natural Selection

Enrich students’ biological understanding of the Galapagos with an historical perspective. The Beagle’s voyage to the Galapagos provides context for Darwin’s theory of ‘evolution by natural selection’.