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Brittany Duffell
HIS-144-0500
March 10, 2019
Kyle Hedden
Darwinism in a Free Nation
Darwin theory, also commonly referred to as Darwinism, was a biological evolution based on the idea of species and organisms developed from natural selection of variations of characteristics that help species survive and compete with other species. During the late nineteenth century, Darwin’s particular theory of evolution by natural selection, or the survival of the fittest method, ultimately, lost ground to other scientific explanations for organic revolution (Austin, B., 2000). Darwinism was used to classify some people as inferior and justify the actions caused against them. During this time in early America, Social Darwinism and eugenics shaped the immigrant experience in America, while fundamentalist Christians continued to oppose Darwin’s theory.
There were millions of people coming into America during the 1800s and as a result of the many different backgrounds and viewpoints, socialist ways began to be where everyone turned for answers. Darwinism was ever spreading in America, more strongly on the academic side of things due to professors lecturing on the theories and spreading the beliefs (Austin, B., 2000). Eventually, these professors were prosecuted for spreading these theories and on top of that, many scientist and preachers were constantly providing disproval to the facts that attempted to be used in order to prove the theories correct (Austin, B., 2000). So, while the academics were attempting to prove Darwin’s theory correctly, the rest of the leaders in the nation of various area such as politics, church, and scientists continued disproving these theories (Weikart, R., 2000).
Seeing as the immigrants were learning the new ways of life in their new home, it is easy to see how Darwinism shaped the way that they chose to live. There were so many new people coming into America for various reasons, but all had one thing in common. They had adapted to a certain way...
