Charles Darwin was the biggest contributor of evolution. Charles Darwin was born on February 12, 1809 in England. He was named after his uncle who had died before he was born. Darwin had much respect and appreciation of his grandfather. He never met his grandfather because he also had died before Charles was born. As a child he was very shy but usually was in trouble. When he was 16 his father took him out of school because of his poor grades. Later that year his father made him his assistant. His father was a doctor. Being in the medical field didn't work out; he couldn't stand the sight of blood. He first got interested in wildlife by a book titled The Natural History of Selborne Darwin was then influenced mainly by a zoologist, Robert Grant. He finally quit medical school in the spring of 1827 and earlier gave his first scientific speech.  His father again worried about Charles' future sent him off to become a clergy man. Again Charles did not care about his studies. In 1828 he soon became very interested in natural history and saw a science profession in his future. He later saw an opportunity to go to the Canary Islands unfortunately it came to a halt when a close friend who was going with him died. He went on the H.M.S. Beagle as a naturalist. On the H.M.S. they explored various and many regions in the South American and Caribbean region. The trip was over four years and Darwin gained much of his knowledge there despite some of his illness. He then used his notes to publish his theory of evolution. He later published many more books and monographs. Many still did not like his theory because it contradicted heavily with the Bible. Darwin married his cousin Emma and together had 10 children. He died on April 19, 1882 at 73 years old. There was and still is a rumor circulating that on his deathbed he renounced evolution and became a Christian. His family and friends denied this rumor and proclaimed it untrue. Still today there is a debate about Darwin's studies but, his family said that Darwin did believe in a deity. Darwin is still the most famous scientist on the study of evolution.