Question

what did james hutton and charles lyell do

Answer 1

Hutton was one of the most influential geologist of his day, he came up with the theory of gradualism. He claimed that the earth was molded by slow gradual change, not by sudden violent events. Lyell was also a geologist, and he believed that the Earth was much older than the 6,000 year though by early theologists. His book Principles of Geology heavily influenced Darwin.