Scopes Monkey Trial
The "Scopes Monkey Trial", often referred to as the "Trial of the Century", took place in Dayton, Tennessee. On trial was teacher John T. Scopes who was accused of breaking a state law prohibiting the teaching of Darwin's theory of evolution in schools. Two famous attorneys, Clarence Darrow for the defense, and William Jennings Bryan for the prosecution, helped to direct national attention to the trial and make it a news event. Scopes was convicted at the trial, but was released on a technicality. Tennessee repealed the law in 1967. The famous trial was also made into an acclaimed motion picture, Inherit the Wind.
Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan during the trial
These are two excellent web resources to help you learn more about the debate at the Scopes Trial.
- This one focuses on the news coverage and later dramatizations of the Scopes Trial as a Broadway play, Hollywood motion picture, and finally a Hallmark Hall of Fame television presentation. http://xroads.virginia.edu/~UG97/inherit/1925home.html
- This one has lots of great political cartoons that illustrate the strong feelings that Americans on both sides had about the trial. http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/scopes/scopes.htm
