Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
The Darwin-Lincoln Double Bicentennial
Table of Contents
Introduction References & Edit History
Images
The Lincoln Memorial. Charles Darwin
Related Questions
Read Next
Union Jack flag of Great Britain, united kingdom
What’s the Difference Between Great Britain and the United Kingdom?
Rural Irish landscape, Sligo, Ireland.
Why Is Ireland Two Countries?
Macro image of pollen-covered bee on purple crocus. (flowers, stamen, pollination, insects, nature)
5 Fast Facts About Flower Anatomy
Asa Gray, 19th-century lithograph.
Asa Gray: The Father of American Botany
Flower bingo
Britannica’s Flower Bingo
Discover
A Factory Interior, watercolor, pen and gray ink, graphite, and white goache on wove paper by unknown artist, c. 1871-91; in the Yale Center for British Art. Industrial Revolution England
Inventors and Inventions of the Industrial Revolution
Aphrodite. Greek mythology. Sculpture. Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love and beauty.
12 Greek Gods and Goddesses
Abstract vector hi speed internet technology background
History of Technology Timeline
Queen Elizabeth II addresses at opening of Parliament. (Date unknown on photo, but may be 1958, the first time the opening of Parliament was filmed.)
All 119 References in “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” Explained
Town of Sisimiut located on the coast of the Davis Strait on Kangerluarsunnguaq Bay, Greenland
The Largest Islands in the World
Time zone map with standard time zones and International Date Line
Why Are Some Time Zones 30 Minutes Off Instead of an Hour?
Sydney New Years Eve Fireworks
Why Does the New Year Start on January 1?
The Lincoln Memorial.
The Lincoln Memorial. The Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C.

The Darwin-Lincoln Double Bicentennial

Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Written by
Adam Gopnik
Adam Gopnik has been a staff writer for The New Yorker since 1986 and is the author of numerous award-winning books. 
Adam Gopnik
Fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Article History

Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin, two of the 19th century’s most enduring thinkers and figures, share more than a place in history. They also share a birthday: Feb. 12, 1809. To mark the bicentennial of their births, Adam Gopnik, longtime staff writer for The New Yorker and a New York Times best-selling author, published Angels and Ages: A Short Book about Darwin, Lincoln, and Modern Life. He summarized his book in a special essay for Britannica that appeared in the 2009 Britannica Book of the Year. His essay is reproduced below. The year 2009 marks the double bicentennial of Abraham ...(100 of 1652 words)

Access the full article
Help support true facts by becoming a member.