Scopes+Monkey+Trial

= Scopes "Monkey Trial" =

=__Important People__ = **George Rappalyea**- Man who came up with the plan to put Dayton "on the map" **John T. Raulston**- Judge for the case **Clarence Darrow**- Defense Lawyer
 * John Scopes**- Teacher in a Tennessee high school, got charged for teaching evolution in school
 * William Jennings Bryan**- Prosecutor, also 3 time runner for democratic party

=__Background Information__= In 1859, an English scientist named Charles Darwin presented the theory of evolution in his book On the Origin of Species. At first, his theory was doubted by other people in the scientific community. Many people had problems with believing this theory because it challenged something that stood above all in most people's lives at this time—belief in their almighty god. Christian fundamentalists in the United States rejected Darwin’s theory. Many people at the time could not consider the possibility of Church and science being connected. For these reasons and a mix of ideas the issue was formed. The ACLU wanted to find a teacher who would be willing to get arrested and be charged so the law against teaching evolution, the Butler Act, would be tested. The ACLU thought that the act was unconstitutional. They also wanted to attract publicity to the dying town of Dayton, Tennessee. George Rappalyea, local coal company manager, was the driving force behind this “plan”, wanting to “put Dayton on the map”. He also disliked the anti-evolution law. He then decided to ask his friend John Scopes if he was willing to go to court against the Butler Act. The two parties met in Rappalyea’s drug store to cr eate the plan. Biology teacher, John Scopes, was the man that was willing to be put on trial. They then agreed that they would charge John Scopes for breaking the Butler. Also William Jennings Bryan, the Democratic candidate for President and Populist, pushed to keep the teaching of evolution illegal in Tennessee.

During this time period, the “Adam and Eve” situation was debated. Darrow used examples from the book of Genesis from the Bible such as: “Was Eve actually created from Adam’s rib?”, “Where did Cain get his wife?”, and “How many people lived in Ancient Egypt?” He did this to express that the Bible was in fact not scientific; therefore, it should not be used in teaching science. Most people in Tennessee were Christian, mainly protestant back in the mid-19th century; the Butler Act was not a problem for most citizens. However, many people in Tennessee and around the country knew that disallowing evolution was wrong, few risked to stand up against Creationism. Even though this case brought up major political debates about “Creationism v. evolution”, the true goal of the case was a big pansy scheme by George Rappalyea to get the small town of Dayton “on the map”.



=__The Trial__= The trial began July 15, 1925 in Dayton Tennessee. The official name of the case was The State of Tennessee v. Scopes. John T Ralston was judge of the case. Democratic candidate William Jennings Bryan was the prosecutor and Clarence Darrow was the defense attorney. Throughout the hearing it would get so crowded that people had to move the trial from outside in fear of the floor collapsing. Nearly 1,000 people showed up for the first day of the trial. On the biggest day the trial had 5,000 people watching. The trial opened with the defense calling in the first series of experts to talk about science and religion. The prosecution opened its case by calling superintendant White to the stand. He led off with a testinmony and a list of witnesses that John Scopes had admitted teaching about evolution from Hunter's Civic Biology. Chief Prosecutor Tom Stewart then asked seven students in Scope's class a series of questions about his teachings. They said that Scopes told them that had evolved from one-celled organism. Darrow cross-examined--gently, though with obvious sarcasm--the students, asking freshman Howard Morgan: "Well, did he tell you anything else that was wicked?" "No, not that I can remember," Howard answered. After drugstore owner Fred Robinson took the stand to testify as to Scope's statement that "any teacher in the state who was teaching Hunter's Biology was violating the law," the prosecution rested. It was a simple case, with almost no chance for scopes. On the seventh day of the trial, Clarence Darrow took a crazy step of calling William Jennings Bryan to the stand as a witness in an effort to demonstrate that the miracles of the bible were unreasonable. Bryan went on the idea that he in turn would get to question Darrow. The confrontation lasted for 2 hours and ended with the judge saying it was irrelevant. Darrow then had to apologize a few days later. The judge the judge then decided that John Scopes was guilty and he had to pay a fine of 100 dollars. Overall the trial last 12 days, and opened the rift between creationism and evolution. Also the trial was a huge setback to the evolution movement due to the fact that he was published by the Butler Act. Overall, the trial was a lost cause from the start. This was due to having direct witnesses testify against scopes.

=__Effects of trial__= This trial revealed the huge gap that was forming during those times. This was the rift between science vs religion. This whole gap was due to Charles Darwin's Origin of a Species. There was an argument between creationism and evolution. Creationism states that god made us, and evolution states that we evolved from lower life forms. The general population was torn between the two ideas. This case hit dead on the issue. When the courts stated that evolution was banned, and proved it in this case, it was a huge downfall for the evolutionists. Also the trial showed how teachers rights were being taken away by not allowing them to teach freely.

Conflicts between pro-evolution and pro-creationism groups became more intense after the trial ended. It had created an entire Anti-Evolution movement in America. By 1927, 13 states in the entire union, North and South, had some form of anti-evolution legislature enforced. In the 1920s, there was an anti-evolution crusade in the Southwest. This group morphed into the “creation science” movement that occurred in the ‘60s. This idea changed the philosophy from blatantly objecting evolution to discreet objections to the evolutionary theory by Darwin. Even though the original purpose of the case was small and almost trivial, it arose into a historic case in American history, once again raising a question of religious freedom—the reason the Forefathers came to America.



__**Hear From a Witness of the Trial**__
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=__Citations__=
 * Crewe, Sabrina, and Michael V. Uschan. // The Scopes "monkey" Trial //. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens Pub., 2005. Print.
 * "Scopes Trial Home Page." // UMKC School of Law //. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. .
 * (Bettman, Corbi S. The "Monkey Trail" 1925. Photograph. Tennesee)
 * Larson, Edward J. // Evolution: the Remarkable History of a Scientific Theory //. New York: Modern Library, 2004. Print.