Summary Of The Book That Changed America By Randall Fuller

In his acclaimed novel, “The Book that Changed America: How Darwin’s Theory of Evolution Ignited a Nation,” Randall Fuller explores the groundbreaking work of esteemed natural biologist Charles Darwin and his 1859 work, “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection.” He documents the work’s travels throughout America and its circulation among New England’s intellectual elite, focusing on the explosive reactions to its previously unimaginable claims; theologians, scientists, Transcendentalist philosophers, abolitionists, and pro-slavery apologists alike all had something to say about this new theory. Fuller’s brilliant interpretation of this cultural upheaval, using personal writings from the desks of intellectual giants, cements Darwin’s

This intentionally mirrors the biological example of the introduction of a species to a new region to see if it will survive the unknown, natural stresses of its new environment. The following section is entitled Struggles, in which the theory of evolution is continually put to the test, facing heavy criticism from theologians, pro-slavery rhetoricians, and scientists such as Louis Agassiz. This metaphorically demonstrates the environmental stresses placed on this new member of America’s scientific and cultural environment. After this section, Darwin’s theory and its place in American ideology must adapt to and simultaneously change their environments to have any hope of

Thus, it proves itself as legitimate by conforming to its own process and establishes its clear, lasting impact on the fields it touched. In fact, Fuller’s organization of his presentation of evolution lends credence to the theory itself for this reason, making the layout of his book incredibly effective in substantiating its central claim. Additionally, his framework offers him some leeway in creating a narrative worth consumption; by using this outline, he is able to write a story rather than just compile a list of bland facts as many less effective historical writings often