The Darwin-Lincoln Double Bicentennial

Written by

Adam Gopnik

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

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...