John Scopes Vs. Tennessee is a trial between evolution and religion (the word of the bible), that lasted from July 10, 1925 through July 25, 1925. To understand the trial, you must first realize the frame of mind people had during this time. Majorities of the population were looking of a sense of "Normalcy", this signified a return to the Bible. Fundamentalists, who believed in the literal interpretation of the Bible, viewed evolutionary theory as the heart of all evil and began an attempt to eliminate it form society, starting with education (1). Fundamentalists tried to steer society away from the idea of evolution as studied adnd presented by the father evolution, Charles Darwin.
Because of the state of mind at the time, the governor’s fundamentalist constituents pressured Tennessee into passing the Butler law of 1925. The Butler act made it illegal, "to teach any theory that denies the story of the divine creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man descended from a lower order of animals," in any publicly funded schools. The law also stated that "any teacher violating this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and fined not less then one hundred dollars, and not more then five hundred dollars for each offense (2).
Not many people thought that the Butler Act was not going to be an active statute, but one group that did was the American Civil Liberties Unions in New York. The ACLU set out to test the constitutionality of the Act (3). George Rappelyea of Dayton Tennessee took up this fight and was willing to help defend any teacher willing to challenge the Act. This is where John Scopes, a 24-year-old substitute biology teacher and football coach, comes into play. Scopes agreed to Rappelyea's plan to test the Butler Act, and was subsequently charged for violating the Act.
With Scopes charged for the misdemeanor, the trial began on July 10, 1925. The trial was a fight between Christianity and evolution. "There has never been a stranger trial in the history of the American jurisprudence than the famous Scopes "Monkey trail" that took place in Dayton, Tennessee in 1925" (Dr. Menton). Prosecuting Scopes on the side of Christianity was the infamous 3-time presidential nominee William Jennings Bryan. Defending Scopes and evolution in this carnival of justice was the famous Chicago defense lawyer Clarence Darrow. Bryan's plans were to rely on his expert accounts of the Bible and his lifetime of preaching. Darrow on the other hand had different plans; he wanted the court to find Scopes guilty so the decision could be appealed to the Supreme Court to test the Laws constitutionality. First Darrow planned to call expert witnesses to testify on behalf of evolution, but since the judge prohibited him from doing so, Darrow had to change his plan (4).
This was perhaps the most popular, and publicized trial during the 20's. About 10,000 visitors past through the small town of Dayton per day just to catch a glimpse of what was happening. So many people came to watch the trial that the judge had to move it outside, because the courtroom could not handle the weight of all the spectators. It became known as the "Monkey trial". Even though this trial was to test the legality of the Butler Act, the real public interest academic freedom, tolerance, bigotry, science, evolution, and religion dominated the court (4).
Darrow in a bold and daring move, called William Jennings Bryan to the stand. This was the turning point of the trial in which the public switched sides and now back evolution and Darrow. Darrow proceeded to ask Bryan questions about religion, in which Bryan had difficulty in answering to his benefit, and in fact made himself look the fool. After Darrow concluded his questioning he asked the judge for an immediate direct verdict, this was to prevent Bryan from having the last words. After eight minutes of deliberation the jury came back with a guilty verdict and the judge fined John Scopes $100.
Over a year later the case reached the State Supreme Court in Nashville Tennessee. The Supreme Court decided on a reversal of the decision on the grounds that in the state of Tennessee the judge cannot set a fine over $50, the jury must set the fine. And so exactly what Darrow had hoped would not happen actually did, the case was thrown out on a technicality, and the constitutionality of the Butler Act was never tested (4).
The significance of the Scopes trial is projected in the attitude if the 20's. The trial was in itself a battle between science and religion. As stated by Allen F. Davis and Harold D. Woodman in Conflict and Consensus, "The Scopes trial...symbolized the conflict between fundamentalists and modernists, between the small town and the city." But unfortunately in this battle there was no clear winner. Although the trail stirred an incredible amount of press it did not accomplish its main goal, to test the constitutionality of the Butler Act. The case did however fulfill one purpose it was designed to do, that was to put the little town of Dayton, Tennessee on the map.
The trial was important because it signified a change in thought, reliance, belief, and understanding in all sciences especially the idea if evolutionary development.
History of Evolution in Tennessee
"Inherit the Wind": A Hollywood History of the Scopes Trial
Academic Freedom at Risk
Scopes Trial For The 90's
Making A Monkey of The Scopes Trial
Summer of the Gods