The Scopes Trial

1
The Scopes Trial
2
What was the Scopes Trial?

• It was otherwise known as the Monkey Trial. It
  settled the debate of should evolution be taught
  in public schools. To see if evolution would be
  the best idea to teach kids, they decided to put
  a teacher on trial who taught evolution.

3
Introduction

• America was changing in the 1920s. The values,
  laws, and ideas were constantly changing. One of
  the ideas that was changing was the notion of the
  theory of evolution being correct. And if it was
  correct should it be taught to the masses? To
  test the idea if evolution should be taught in
  schools they decided to put an evolution teacher
  on trial.

4
Introduction

• It started with the Butler Bill which banned
  evolution on the grounds of it being heresy to
  the Bible in 1925. It passed in congress in
  1925. The state of Tennessee enacted the law, and
  it would be a great place to test the fate of
  evolution. The America Civil Liberties Union
  sought out teachers to put the law into practice.
  They placed an ad in the Chattanooga newspaper
  seeking teachers who would challenge the Butler
  Law. They promised in the ad that it would not
  cost the teacher his job.

5
Introduction

• Now that there was public interest from the news
  ad, a group of towns people from Dayton,
  Tennessee tried to make this case very public.
  They tried to figure out ways to generate buzz.
  The Daytonians chose John Thomas Scopes to be on
  trial as the teacher who violated the Butler Law
  and taught evolution.

6
John Thomas Scopes

• John Thomas Scopes was born in Paducah, Kentucky.
  His family moved to Illinois when he was a
  teenager. He eventually got a law degree from the
  University of Kentucky in 1924. He moved to
  Dayton, Tennessee where he became a football
  coach and a substitute teacher for Rhea County
  High School. He was 24 when he was asked to
  participate in the trial.

7
The Scopes Trial

• While in Rhea High School, working as a football
  coach and substitute, he accepted the challenge
  of being put on trial for teaching evolution. He
  later admitted as a substitute teacher, he was
  not sure if covered teaching evolution to the
  students. However, he still accepted the
  challenge of saying he would teach students
  evolution. He was asked by Daytonians to be the
  test of the Butler law. He agreed to be indicted
  to see how this case played out.

8
The Scopes Trial

• Due to the shear publicity of this issue, many
  well-known people stepped up to be apart of the
  trail. William Jennings Bryan who brought about
  the Butler law decided to be the prosecutor for
  the trial. Clarence Darrow and Dudley Field
  Malone were high profile attorneys that wanted to
  represent Scopes in the trial.

Pictured Darrow and Bryan
9
Preparing for the Trial

• Scopes was indicted by a grand jury for violating
  the anti-evolution law(the Butler Law). As the
  tension was building for the trial, the town
  built a pedestrian mall close by, a platform on
  the lawn of the courthouse, and a tourist camp.
  The courtroom was prepared to broadcast the trial
  to the world as the equipped it with the
  necessary technology.

10
The Trial

• After the jury selection, Darrow tries to
  persuade the jury that the Butler Law is
  unconstitutional. He tried to state that this
  violates the freedom of religion. The next day he
  objects to having prayer to begin the trial, but
  Judge Raulston objects to that. The judge also
  overruled that the defense's motion to have the
  Butler Law declared unconstitutional. The judge
  cited that public schools are not religious, but
  they are designed to maintain mental and moral
  development and discipline.

11
The Trial

• Scopes defense pleas not guilty. Some witnesses
  and experts were reviewed. Scopes students did
  say he taught them evolution. A zoologist,
  Maynard Metcalf, testified that evolution is
  widely embraced by the scientific community. The
  prosecution asks the judge to bar the scientists
  testimony Judge Raulston rules to bar it. The
  judge said it was not relevant enough to the
  case.

12
The Trial - Interpretation

• Bryan calls on a biblical text expert to testify.
  Clarence Darrow asks Bryan many questions about
  if the Bible should be taken literally. Bryan
  states that Darrow is making a slur at the
  Bible. Darrow replied back with accusing Bryan
  of fool ideas that no intelligent Christian on
  Earth believes.

13
The Ruling

• Judge Raulston expunges Bryans testimony from
  the record stating that it is not relevant to the
  case. Darrow asks the jury to find Scopes guilty
  and go deliberate. They could chose to appeal
  this verdict. The jury deliberated for a total of
  9 minutes. Scopes was found guilty and only had
  to pay 100 in fines. Both ACLU and Bryan offer
  to pay for his fine.

14
The Ruling

• After the ruling is stated, Scopes has a chance
  to speak. He uttered this about his intent, To
  oppose this new law in any way I can. Any other
  action would be in violation of my ideal of
  academic freedom that is, to teach the truth as
  guaranteed in our constitution, of personal and
  religious freedom.

15
After the Trial

• Five days after trial, Bryan died in his sleep in
  Dayton. IN May 31, 1926, the appealing hearing
  started. Ultimately, the judge upheld the Butler
  Law, stating that it was constitutional. However,
  Scopes verdict was overturn, because Judge
  Raulston should have not set the fine amount, the
  jury should have. In May 17, 1967, the Butler Act
  is repealed.

16
Quiz

• What was the scopes trial also called?
• The Monkey Trial
• The State of Tennessee vs. John Thomas Scopes
• All of the above -
• None of the Above

17
Quiz

• 2. True or False. Scopes was a fulltime biology
  teacher.
• True
• False -

18
Quiz

• 3. What was the act officially called that Scopes
  was indicted for?
• The Anti-Evolution Act
• The Darrow Act
• The Darwin Act
• The Butler Act -

19
Quiz

• 4. Which organization advertised in a newspaper
  for a participant to be found guilty of teaching
  evolution?
• The America Civil Liberties Union -
• The Evolution Civil Union
• The Scientists of America
• The Christians for Evolution of America

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Quiz

• 5. What did the defense state as why the Butler
  Act was unconstitutional?
• The first amendment -
• The fourth amendment
• The six amendment
• The eighth amendment

21
Quiz

• 6. Place these people with their correct title
  during the Trial.
• Scopes Defendant
• Darrow Attorney
• Field Attorney
• Raulston Judge
• Bryan - Prosecutor

22
Quiz

• 7. True or False. Darrow questioned Bryan about
  the Bible being taken completely literally.
• True
• False

23
Quiz

• 8. How long did it take the jury to present the
  verdict?
• 1 hour
• 9 minutes -
• 34 minutes
• 4 hours and 16 minutes

24
Quiz

• 9. True or False. The trial verdict in 1925
  declared the Butler Act unconstitutional.
• True
• False -

25
Quiz

• 10. How much was the fine Scopes had to pay?
• 125
• 115
• 110
• 100 -

26
Quiz

• 11. Who offered to pay for Scopes fine?
• Bryan
• ACLU
• Darrow
• Both AB -
• Both B C
• All of the Above

27
Quiz

• 12. True or False. Scopes tried to appeal the
  verdict.
• True
• False

28
Quiz

• 13. During the appeal trial, the Butler Act was
  found to be unconstitutional.
• True
• False -

29
Quiz

• 14. During the appeal trial, Scopes verdict was
  overturned.
• True
• False

30
Quiz

• 15. When was the Butler Act repealed in
  Tennessee?
• 1928
• 1954
• 1967 -
• 1969

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Resources

• http//www.aboutpaducah.com/directory/celebrities/
  354.html
•  
• http//www.biographyplus.com/john_t_scopes.htm
•  
• http//law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/scop
  es/Sco_sco.htm
•  
• http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/monkeytrial/peopleeve
  nts/p_scopes.html
•  
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_T._Scopes
•  
• http//www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?story
  Id4723956
•  
• http//law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/scop
  es/evolut.htm
•  
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scopes_Trial