Mendelism refers to the principles of heredity formulated by Gregor Mendel in the mid-1860s, which describe how traits are passed from parents to offspring. Mendel conducted simple hybridization experiments with pea plants and discovered that traits are not blended in offspring, but rather are passed down as separate and distinct units from one generation to the next. These units are now known as genes, and Mendels principles compose what is known as the system of particulate inheritance by units. Key features of Mendelian inheritance include:

• Dominance: One allele exerts greater influence than the other on the same inherited character.

• Segregation: The two members (alleles) of a gene pair, one on each of paired chromosomes, separate during the formation of sex cells by a parent organism.

• Independent assortment: Genes for different traits are inherited independently of each other.

Mendelism is a term that refers to the theoretical principles of heredity based on Mendels work. It is important to note that while Mendelian inheritance is a fundamental concept in genetics, not all traits follow Mendelian patterns of inheritance.