The Scopes Trial

About unlawful teaching of Evolution: Man came from Apes (Monkeys)

 Modernists embraced new ideas, styles, and social trends. Believe traditional values restricted both individual
freedom and the pursuit of happiness.
 Traditionalists /Fundamentalists - live the simple life /wife, kids, farmer, Bible

The Scopes Trial was a case that drew national attention over whether to teach evolution in schools

You are going to research this event and see if you can find the deeper, “real” issues that Americans were in conflict
over.

1. Show Video of Scope Trial

https://www.activeclassroom.com/active_reader/11525

Butler Act: It shall be unlawful for any teacher . . . to teach any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of
man as taught in the Bible.

1925 Tennessee law prohibiting public school teachers from denying the Biblical account of mankind's origin.

What I Know:

 This law was passed in Tennessee in 1925

 In Tennessee it was against the law to teach evolution.
 You could only teach the creation story of the Bible.
 People who will disagree with this law and teach evolution anyway.
 Illustrates the clash between modernists and traditionalists /fundamentalists
 Teaching evolution would go against Traditionalists/ fundamentalists religious beliefs.
 Traditionalists/ fundamentalists would agree with The Butler Act

Modernists teach that man has descended from a lower order of animals.

1. Monkey
2. Caveman
3. Man

Traditionalists /Fundamentalists

 Man came from God

Where does this information go?
Students will read the sources and decide if it’s a

A. Modernists belief
B. Traditionalists/Fundamentalists belief

1. Source 2

The Doctrine of Evolution

The great English scientist, Charles Darwin . . . explained the theory of evolution. This is the belief that simple forms of
life on the earth slowly and gradually gave rise to those more complex and that thus the most complex forms came into
existence.

Evolution of Man.

Undoubtedly there once lived upon the earth races of men who were much lower in their mental organization than the
present inhabitants. If we follow the early history of man upon the earth, we find that at first he must have been little
better than one of the lower animals.

Where does this information go?

2. Source 3 Here is an American Federation of Teachers response to the Butler Act, written July 18, 1925.

The American Federation of Teachers is deeply concerned about the effect of the Tennessee anti-evolution law. . . .

Teaching . . . has been menaced . . . by misguided legislative authority that fears to trust the intelligence, . . . of
[teachers]. . . .

As teachers we especially fear the effect of the present wave of intolerance in education on the task of providing the
schools with enlightened teachers. Without freedom in the intellectual life, and without the inspiration of uncensored
discovery and discussion, there could ultimately be no schools at all and no education.

Where does this information go?modern

3. Source 4 Here is an excerpt from testimony during the Scopes Trial by Dudley Field Malone, an attorney from
New York City and on the defense team.

“The least that this generation can do, your Honor, is to give the next generation all the facts, all the available data, all
the information that learning, that study, has produced—give it to the children in the hope that they will make a better
world than we have been able to make. We have just had a war with twenty million dead. …let the children have their
minds kept open—close no doors to their knowledge; shut no door from them. Make the distinction between theology
and science. Let them have both. Let them both be taught. Let them both live. . . .

We feel we stand with progress. We feel we stand with science. We feel we stand with intelligence. We feel we stand
with freedom in America.”

Where does this information go?modern

 4. Source 5 John Straton was a minister who preached against the sins of modern life across the country. He was
against evolution and also felt that parents and local communities had the right to control what was being
taught in their schools. This is an excerpt from his article printed in December, 1925 in American
Fundamentalist.

“The real issue at Dayton and everywhere today is: “Whether the religion of the Bible shall be ruled out of the schools
and the religion of evolution, with its ruinous results shall be ruled into the schools by law.” . . .

[John Scopes’s lawyers] left New York and Chicago, where real religion is being neglected, …where crime is most
rampant . . . and they went to a community where women are still honored, where men are still chivalric [brave and
courteous], where laws are still respected, where home life is still sweet, where the marriage vow is still sacred. . . .

Think of the illogic of it! and the nerve of it!”

Where does this information go?modernists

5. Source 6 Play: “The Scopes Trial”

 Clarence Darrow (modernists))
 William Jennings Bryan (traditionalist side)

Narrator: Clarence Darrow, John Scopes’ defense attorney, admits his client has taught evolution. To defend him, he
wants to question a group of scientists to prove Darwin’s theory is reasonable. The prosecution claims Darrow’s experts
did not witness creation, so their evidence is only hearsay. The judge agrees and rules that scientists may not testify.

William Jennings Bryan is the defense’s star witness. William Jennings Bryan is most famous for running for President in
1896 and for resigning as Secretary of State before World War I. He believed that the greatest threat to the United
States was Darwinism. He once said, “The contest between evolution and Christianity is a duel to the death.”

Clarence Darrow calls Bryan to the stand.

Darrow: Mr. Bryan, do you believe that everything in the Bible should be interpreted literally? (modernist side)

Bryan: I believe everything in the Bible should be accepted as it is given there. (traditionalist)

Darrow: Does the Bible state the earth is older than, say, 6,000 years? (modernist)

Bryan: I don’t think the Bible itself says whether it is older or not. ((traditionalist) )

Darrow: Do you think the earth was made in six days? (modernist)

Bryan: Doesn’t it say so? (traditionalist)

Darrow: Mr. Bryan, do you believe the first woman was Eve and that she was literally made out of Adam’s rib?
(modernist side)

Bryan: I do. (traditionalist)

Prosecuting attorney: I object. What is the purpose of this examination? (modernist side)

Bryan: The purpose is to cast ridicule on everyone who believes in the Bible! (traditionalist)

Darrow: No, we want to prevent bigots from controlling the education of the U.S. (modernist side)

Bryan: And I want people to know that I am not afraid to get on the stand to protect the word of God against an atheist.
(traditionalist)
QUESTIONS

 How does this event illustrate the conflict between modernists and traditionalists? The different between
modernists is that it something a person believe and traditionalists is maintainting tradition
 Why did this event cause such conflict?
 What caused the conflict? By education
 What were the effects of the conflict?school,death

Narrator: Bryan leaves the stand, but the great man seems sad and out of touch with the modern world. The trial ends
and Scopes is found guilty of breaking the Butler Act which prohibits the teaching of evolution. The judge fines Scopes
$100.00

Afterword: Scopes never taught again. Instead, he enrolled in graduate studies and became a geologist. A week after
the trial ended, Bryan died. Some newspapers said his death was caused by his experience in the trial. One suggested he
died of a broken heart. Clarence Darrow refused to let up – “Broken heart nothing. He died of a broken belly.” The
Tennessee law survived until it was repealed in 1967.

(Created by HISD Secondary Social Studies Curriculum. Sources: Scholastic Search, Vol. 18, No. 6. March, 1990. “People and Ideas: Confronting Modernity” American
Experience http://www.pbs.org/godinamerica/people/william-jennings-bryan.html. Accessed 27 August 2018.)