Answer:
During the time when Darwin published his theory of evolution in 1859, many people rejected his ideas because there was a belief in a divine creation of life, which disagreed with the concept of a natural process of evolution. Also, the theory was very radical for its time, and people often stuck with traditional beliefs. Some scientists criticized it because Darwin's theory lacked a complete explanation of how hereditary material was passed on from one generation to another. Additionally, there was no significant evidence to support Darwin's ideas at the time, and some scientific research contradicted it.
Furthermore, many people also struggled to accept Darwin's theory because it contradicted their interpretation of the Bible's account of creation. The Bible's description suggests that God created all species in a short period. Still, Darwin's theory of evolution suggests that species gradually developed over millions of years, which was not consistent with many religious beliefs. This misunderstanding led to the idea that accepting Darwin's theory would mean rejecting religious beliefs, which was unacceptable to many people.
Despite this, many scientists and laypeople eventually accepted Darwin's theory because of the substantial amount of evidence supporting the theory. Over time, scientists discovered evidence of transitional fossils, geographical distribution of species, and embryonic similarities, among other things, that helped confirm Darwin's ideas. The theory of evolution has undergone significant refinement since Darwin's works, but his original ideas laid the foundation for modern evolutionary biology and remains a fundamental concept in explaining the diversity of life on earth.