Argumentative Essay: The Monkey Trial

The twentieth century Scopes trial may have started out as a simple debate between evolutionists and creationists, but quickly escalated to a debate of historic proportions. The 1920s were times of change in the United States, from women getting the right to vote to prohibition to changes in education, such as the Butler Act, which created unease and animosity throughout the country. The Butler Act of 1925 prohibited the teaching of evolution and any other theories that deny the story of the divine creation of man as taught in the Bible in all Universities and public schools in Tennessee. John Scopes, a high-school biology teacher in Dayton, Tennessee decided to test this law. He was found guilty of teaching evolution to his high-school

The 1920’s was a time of prosperity and change in the United States, but with change comes disagreements. One of the largest debates during this time period, and still today, was the debate between science and religion. Many people were Christians in America during this time and they believed that the story of how God created the Earth should be taught in public schools. These people were called “fundamentalists.” They believed nothing could compare to or be as powerful as God’s word. The other side to this debate were the Modernists, or the ones who believed in science rather than religion. Modernists wanted to teach the theory of evolution in public schools instead of the Creation story the Fundamentalists believed in (“United States in History”). All of these different opinions led to one of the most famous trials known as the Scopes v. State of Tennessee trial. John Scopes was a substitute teacher in Tennessee who decided to teach the theory of evolution to a science class. Scopes was accused of violating the Butler Act, which states that teaching anything that

In the “Monkey Trial” William Jennings Bryan spoke as the leader of the Christian fundamentalist, what him and his followers wanted to do was for the people and court to find out how unfair it was for something that they perceived as “materialistic and anti-religious be taught in the very same classrooms from which all religious instruction had been banned” (Thomas, 2009 p. 25). This situation created a lot of debates among the people. Many things changed in the American public schools that arise because of the evolution theory and religion.

The Scopes Trial, formally known as The State of Tennessee vs. Scopes but given the nickname “The Monkey Trial”, has been credited as starting the popular legal dispute between evolution and creationism in the court, and its impact in the 20’s was immeasurable.

Ever since science began to explain the previously unexplainable, it has caused conflicts with religion. The Scopes “Monkey” Trial of Dayton, Tennessee was one of the most talked about trials in history because it was one of the first and most publicized times that this conflict occurred. The trial showed the schism between the faithful fundamentalists and the newly formed group of evolutionists. Although the jury was reminded that they only had to decide if Scopes had broken the law, the verdict was seen as much more than that. For one of the first times in history, it seemed as if the jury had to choose either religion or evolution. For the time being, there could not be both. The Scopes “Monkey” Trial revealed the ongoing conflict with

It was stated that Scopes didn’t deliberately teach the theory of Evolution, but the classroom assigned book by the state featured a chapter on it(Armstrong). The whole trial proved that the judge treated everything with extreme bias, from allowing a prayer before each day to making it nearly impossible for Darrow to get a good argument that would be allowed to stay in the records(Noah). When Scopes was asked what point in time that he taught Evolution he said that he didn’t remember if he did at all because it wasn’t in his lesson plans(Noah). This case was held with the most disrespect a judge or state could give a

The Scopes Trial of 1925 was one of the quandary case ever witnessed by the American government and public. It was a conflict between science and theology, faith and reason. Lasting eight days this was one of the first media extensive coverage of that time resulted in thousands of print, interviews, and commentary sent from Dayton which helped to shape the public perception of what occurred in the nation. In addition, the trial was a maze run itself where many thought that it was challenging the constitutionality of the bill, to publicly advocate for the legitimacy of Darwin’s theory of evolution, many other thought it was a publicity stunt for the town of Dayton, Tennessee. In simple words, it was a contest between evolution and Christianity.

The Scopes trial, writes Edward Larson, to most Americans embodies “the timeless debate over science and religion.” (265) Written by historians, judges, and playwrights, the history of the Scopes trial has caused Americans to perceive “the relationship between science and religion in . . . simple terms: either Darwin or the Bible was true.” (265) The road to the trial began when Tennessee passed the Butler Act in 1925 banning the teaching of evolution in secondary schools. It was only a matter of time before a young biology teacher, John T. Scopes, prompted by the ACLU tested the law. Spectators and newspapermen came from allover to witness

This question provides further evidence of the religious basis of the Scopes Trial, simply because the defendant’s side realized that, in order to protect the teaching of The Theory of Evolution, flaws within the bible’s interpretation and reasoning would have to be pointed out. This would weaken the argument of the plaintiff, and possible help the jury realize that The Theory of Evolution was plausible.

In 1925, biology teacher John Scopes was arrested for breaking the Butler Law that prohibits the teachings of evolution due to its contradiction of the teachings of the Bible. William Jennings Bryan, a well-known advocate was invited to prosecute in the famous “Scopes Monkey Trial”. In the trial, William Jennings Bryan, and a Chicago attorney named Clarence Darrow, argued whether Scopes defied the law and taught a doctrine that went against the beliefs of Bryan and many citizens during this time.

The feud between creationist and scientist about the origins of the universe dates back to the 20’s during the Scopes trial. Scientist are against creationism because there is no evidence to support the theory. Scientist support Charles Darwin’s theory Darwinism, the theory that organisms evolve from simple to complex through minor adaptations over time, because it has held up for more than a century. Rowe’s article expresses how he believes that creationist created intelligent design to take the place of creationism in public schools after the Supreme Court ruled that

The evolution that Darwin’s theories had brought in science world, also gain religious backlash. Soon, many states legislature passed the anti-evolution bills, making it illegal to teach in public school and colleges. The twelve-day trial was the strongest example of war against fundamentalist and modernist. John T. Scopes, substitute science teacher was arrested for teaching evolution theory. The Scopes trial in Dayton, Tennessee had gain all sorts of publicity across the world. Massive publicity had also brought people from all around the world in court. His attorney argued that, “Scopes is not on trial. Civilization is on trial”. Meanwhile, Bryan said it as “Contest between evolution and Christianity, a dual to the death”’. After a long

Stanley Kramer's film, Inherit the Wind, examines a trial based on the 1925 Scopes trial in Dayton, Tennessee. Often referred to as "The Trial of the Century" (Scopes Trial Web Page), the Scopes trial illuminated the controversy between the Christian theory of creation and the more scientific theory of evolution. John Scopes, a high school biology teacher, was arrested for illegally teaching evolutionism to his class. "The meaning of the trial emerged because it was seen as a conflict of social and intellectual values" (Scopes Trial Web Page). Kramer's film dramatizes this conflict between the Christian believers and the evolutionists in "Hillsboro, heavenly Hillsboro, the

Times. http://www.nytimes.com.2008/02/19/world /americas/19iht-princeton.1.10175351.html Fitzsimmons, W. 2014. Time out or Burn out for the Next Generation. Retrieved from

Vermont- Yesterday morning, an old man found John Watson frozen to death on his farmland due to an apparent suicide caused by his wife Ann Watson