Charles Darwin was born in SHREWS-BURY, England, in 1809. From the time he was a young child, Charles liked collecting plants and catching animals. His father Robert Darwin, was a doctor, and he wanted his son to follow in his footsteps. Charles, however, found the study of medicine boring and surgery stressful. He neglected his university classes, but studied natural history , the study of the development of plants and animals, on his own. Though he did well in school, Darwin spent most of his college years hunting and carrying on his own studies outside of the classroom. After graduation, Darwin was given the chance to use his expertise. Captain Robert Fitzroy invited Darwin to sail with him on his ship, the HMS Beagle, and help him map the coast of South America and make a study of the natural history of the area. Darwin joined him on his voyage and filled his notebooks with sketches and observations. He collected specimens, samples of plants and animals for scientific study, as the went along.