The Scopes Monkey Trial, also known as the State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes, was a highly publicized court case that took place in 1925 in Dayton, Tennessee. The trial centered around the teaching of evolution in public schools, which was a contentious issue at the time.
The Scopes Monkey Trial was arranged as a test case to challenge the Butler Act, a Tennessee state law that made it illegal to teach any theory that denied the biblical account of creation in public schools. The Act was passed in 1925, amid a wave of religious fundamentalism that was sweeping the country, and was part of a broader effort to promote a literal interpretation of the Bible.
The trial was set in motion when a group of businessmen in Dayton, Tennessee, including George Rappleyea, saw an opportunity to put their town on the map and boost local tourism. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) had offered legal assistance to anyone willing to challenge the constitutionality of the Butler Act. Rappleyea, who had read about a similar case in another state, suggested to local leaders that they challenge the Butler Act by finding a teacher who was willing to admit to teaching evolution and then have him arrested.
John Scopes, a local high school science teacher, volunteered. He admitted to teaching evolution, and the case went to trial.
The trial became a media sensation, with journalists from across the country descending on Dayton to cover the proceedings. The trial also attracted the attention of high-profile figures, such as lawyer and politician William Jennings Bryan (right), who joined in the prosecution, and renowned defense attorney Clarence Darrow (left), recruited by the ACLU, who assisted in Scopes’s defense.
The trial ultimately ended with Scopes being found guilty and fined $100, though the verdict was later overturned on a technicality. The trial had significant cultural and historical significance, as it represented the clash between science and religion in American society during the early 20th century. Future posts will address the cultural significance of The Scopes Monkey Trial in more detail.
The events of the trial were later dramatized in a stage play and movie, Inherit the Wind. The best known dramatization is the 1960 movie version staring Spencer Tracy as “Henry Drummond,” a stand-in for Clarence Darrow. A 1988 TV movie version staring Kirk Douglas and Jason Robards is available on YouTube.
What liberties did Inherit the Wind take with the real-life history of the Scopes Monkey Trial? And in what ways is The Wise of Heart actually a more faithful telling of the events of the trial?
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