After reading the overview, you will understand the importance of the taxonomic system in helping scientists organize evolutionary relationships and understand some of the traits which distinguish the different kingdoms.
Taxonomy is the organization of different organisms to show their relationships.
Aristotle is credited with the creation of the first classification system called the Scala Naturae , or Ladder of Nature. The Scala Naturae is ladder-like progression from the simplest organisms on the bottom to man on the top. At this time, the system of classifying organisms was very disorganized. For example, catnip was names Nepeta floribus interrupte spicatus pedunculatis . Then, in the 18th century, a Swedish naturalist named Carolus Linnaeus wrote a book called Systema Naturae which catalogued all of the plants known in Europe at that time.