The Theory of Evolution

When Charles Darwin (1809-1882) published On the Origin of Species', he upset the entire world with his theory that human beings were descended from anthropoid ancestors. By introducing the idea of evolution, however, he compelled botanists to consider anew their heretofore accepted systems of classification. Methods of classification to this point had been, to a large degree, artificial. The theory of evolution led to efforts to devise a natural system of classification whereby those forms having a common ancestor would be grouped together.