The review that AbbyLeveer quoted stated:
"During his travels throughout America, he looked for evidence to
confirm his theory of the uniformity of geological history,..."
An equally important goal of Lyell in visiting North America was to test how far from Europe that the periods and epochs, which comprise the Geologic Column and described and developed from outcrops in Europe, could be recognize. This book stated:
"Lyell came to America in part to learn whether his classification
of European Tertiary formations would prove applicable to the
American Tertiary. It did. The strata of the Atlantic coastal
plain were Eocene, Miocene, and Pliocene, each with the same
proportion of extinct to living species among their fossils as
those of Europe."
As noted in the book, Lyell also found that other parts of the geologic column, i.e. the Cretaceous, Carbonifreous, Devonian, and Silurian Periods also could be recognized in North America on the basis of their fossil content. His visit confirmed that the Geologic Column was real and significant aspect of geology and biostratigraphy was a valid method of correlating strata.
AbbyLeveer stated:
"Without Lyell's time frame Darwin would have had more difficulty
with his theories. (Note to C'ists ... it's all Lyells fault ... )"
Ultimately, the person that C'sts should blame is not Lyell, but William "strata" Smith, whose invention of the geologic map and biostratigraphy laid the basic groundwork for the Geologic Column and provided Lyell a framework for his research and ideas.
Some web pages:
1. William Smith (1769-1839)
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/smith.html
2. WILLIAM "STRATA" SMITH ON THE WEB
Earth Sciences | College of Engineering and Physical SciencesEarth Sciences | College of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Yours,
Bill
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