Please complete both LONG essay prompts using all readings I have provided in previous assignments, (Quammen, Origin of species, all articles, etc.) Please create two separate documents.

Your essay will be evaluated by the following criteria:
1) The persuasiveness and clarity of your thesis statement to the prompt. Is your thesis not too general or too specific? Is it arguable or just a bland, general statement of truth that everybody knows?
2) A forceful and engaging introduction. Do you introduce the topic and situate your thesis well?
3) The persuasiveness and clarity of your subarguments and their connection to the thesis. Do your subarguments make sense on their own and in the context of your thesis?
4) The persuasive and appropriateness of your evidence for your thesis and subarguments. Is the evidence you provide for your subarguments relevant and convincing?
5) The structure of your essay. Is your essay structured logically?
6) Writing quality. Is your writing free from errors and is it clear
Essay 1: We have assessed Darwin’s theory of evolution through natural selection from several different angles: through Darwin’s own writings in the Origin (a primary source), through David Quammen’s account of Darwin’s life (secondary source), and through discussions and other readings. Now, using all of these sources, describe the forces that contributed to Darwin’s ideas. Think broadly, and incorporate not only scientific ideas, experiments, and other scientists, but also social, cultural, economic, and geographic considerations into your argument. At some point in your essay, you should give a clear and concise statement of Darwin’s theory of evolution through natural selection, using specific examples from Darwin’s Origin. Please think critically about the material, and end your essay by describing your own thoughts on the development of evolutionary theory in the mid-nineteenth century.Essay 2: This class is entitled “The Darwinian Revolution.” This title is something of a controversy within the history of science. At issue, is the question as to whether Darwin’s ideas were truly revolutionary (that is, they ushered in a very fast change in how people thought about “the origin of species.”) Is it fair to characterize Darwin’s ideas as revolutionary? Or might it be more accurate to emphasize the continuity (or gradual change) of ideas and practices before and after Darwin’s landmark achievement with the publication of On the Origin of Species. In other words, just how earth shattering was his book when it was published?