The Galapagos Voyage

The HMS Beagle was a British ship that sailed around the world long ago. A young scientist named Charles Darwin was on board. The trip lasted almost five years. Darwin visited many places, but the Galapagos Islands were the most important. What he saw there changed science forever.

The Long Voyage

The Beagle left England in 1831. Darwin was only 22 years old. The ship sailed to South America, Africa, and Australia. Darwin collected plants, rocks, and animals at every stop. He wrote everything down in his notebooks. The voyage lasted from 1831 to 1836.

A special old clock that sailed on the ship HMS Beagle.
A special old clock that sailed on the ship HMS Beagle. (Wikimedia Commons)

The Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos are a group of islands near Ecuador. Darwin saw amazing animals there, like giant tortoises and marine iguanas. He noticed that birds on different islands had different beaks. This made him think that animals could change over time. His ideas became the famous theory of evolution.

Fun Facts

  • Galapagos tortoises can live for over 100 years.
  • Darwin got very seasick during the voyage.
  • The Beagle was only about 90 feet long.

Did You Know?

Darwin did not write his famous book about evolution until more than 20 years after his voyage on the Beagle. The book is called 'On the Origin of Species.'