The Scopes “Monkey” Trial

Overview

The “Roaring Twenties” was one of the most dramatic decades that the United States has ever seen. Every year had its fair share of important movements, events, and people, all creating significant changes. There seemed to be nothing else that could surprise the American public. Yet, only a few months into 1925, there was an event that caught the attention of the American public and of those living across the Atlantic ocean.

John T. Scopes (left) with his father (right) circa 1925. (The University of Tennessee Libraries)

In March of 1925, Tennessee state legislatures passed the Butler Act. The Butler Act banned the teaching of evolution in all public and private educational institutions. “…Any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the Bible…” was a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $500.¹"Tennessee Evolution Statutes," University of Missouri-Kansas City, accessed February 2021. The American Civil Liberties Union, an organization created to protect the individual rights of American citizens, disliked the passing of the Butler Act. As a result, the ACLU responded by offering to defend any teacher charged under the law.²American Civil Liberties Union, "State of Tennessee V. Scopes," ACLU, accessed February 2021. Yet, instead of waiting for a teacher to break the law, the organization started looking for one willing to challenge it in court. After all, the goal of the ACLU was to get the law overturned by the Supreme Court for being unconstitutional.³American Civil Liberties Union, "State of Tennessee V. Scopes," ACLU, accessed February 2021.

As the ACLU searched for a volunteer, businessmen in the small town of Dayton, Tennessee worked out a plan. Dayton was in an economic slump at the time and the town’s “movers and shakers” believed that a controversial trial could help.⁴Public Broadcasting Service, "John Scopes," American Experience, PBS, accessed February 2021. Public attention from the trial would undoubtedly bring in money and breathe life back town. Out of all the teachers in the town, the businessmen decided that a young, first-year teacher named John Scopes was their best option.

John Scopes

By the spring time, John Scopes had just concluded his first year at Rhea County High School. He taught science and coached football, making him the perfect candidate to challenge the Butler Act.⁵Public Broadcasting Service, "John Scopes," American Experience, PBS, accessed February 2021 The local businessmen did not waste any time and so they approached Scopes with their plan.

A crowd of people wait outside of a local drugstore for the arrival of the latest newspapers covering the events of the Scopes Trial. (University of Tennessee Libraries)

Although Scopes admitted he could not remember actually teaching evolution in his classes, he agreed.⁶Public Broadcasting Service, "John Scopes," American Experience, PBS, accessed February 2021. Like many science teachers, he beloved in the theory of evolution over the theory of Divine Creation. Therefore, on May 7, 1925, Scopes was arrested and charged with the criminal activity of teaching evolution.⁷American Civil Liberties Union, "State of Tennessee V. Scopes," ACLU, accessed February 2021.

Before the Trial

Although his arrest was intentional, Scopes still needed a good lawyer. As promised, the ACLU became involved and asked renown criminal defense lawyer Clarence Darrow to defend Scopes.⁸American Civil Liberties Union, "State of Tennessee V. Scopes," ACLU, accessed February 2021. Darrow would work alongside Arthur Garfield Hays, the ACLU’s General Counsel.⁹American Civil Liberties Union, "State of Tennessee V. Scopes," ACLU, accessed February 2021. On the opposing side was William Jennings Bryan, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives and former Secretary of State.¹⁰Office of the Historian, "Biographies of the Secretaries of the State: William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925)," Office of the Historian, United States of America Department of the State, accessed February 2021. Bryan was also notorious for his passionate, fundamentalist Christian beliefs.¹¹American Civil Liberties Union, "State of Tennessee V. Scopes," ACLU, accessed February 2021. Thus, for Bryan, proving Scopes’ guilt was more than political, it was personal.

Much to the delight of Dayton’s businessmen, news of the trial quickly spread across the United States. In fact, news of the upcoming trial was so big that it spread overseas to many European countries.¹²American Civil Liberties Union, "State of Tennessee V. Scopes," ACLU, accessed February 2021. Scopes’ arrest in May brought radio and newspaper reporters, politicians, and tourists from all over the world to Dayton.¹³American Civil Liberties Union, "State of Tennessee V. Scopes," ACLU, accessed February 2021.

Prosecutor William Jennings Bryan and defense attorney Clarence Darrow seated together at a desk. (University of Tennessee Libraries)

While Dayton’s fame did not conclude with the trial’s verdict, the peak of all the activity occurred before the trial and while the court was in session. Food venders, musicians, street preachers, and other performers followed the reporters to Dayton.¹⁴Cutlip, Kimbra, "The Scopes Trial Redefined Science Journalism and Shaped it to What it is Today," Smithsonian Magazine online, last modified July 10, 2015. Soon the small, quiet town developed a carnival-like atmosphere. A preforming chimpanzee even came to entertain the growing crowd of people. It was then that the serious and important trial turned into a circus and was given the name the Scopes “Monkey” Trial.¹⁵Cutlip, Kimbra, "The Scopes Trial Redefined Science Journalism and Shaped it to What it is Today," Smithsonian Magazine online, last modified July 10, 2015

The Court’s Proceedings and the Verdict

Finally, on July 10, 1925, the Scopes “Monkey” Trial began. On each day of the trial, roughly a thousand observers and reporters packed themselves into the tiny Rhea County Courthouse.¹⁶American Civil Liberties Union, "State of Tennessee V. Scopes," ACLU, accessed February 2021. Those who had not made the trip to Tennessee could listen to the court’s proceedings from the comfort of their home. Scopes’ trial was the very first trial to be broadcasted on live radio.¹⁷American Civil Liberties Union, "State of Tennessee V. Scopes," ACLU, accessed February 2021.

The trial would be overlooked by Judge John T. Raulston, a conservative, Christian, believer of the Butler Act. Raulston began each court session with a mandatory prayer and refused to let many of Darrow’s witnesses take the stand.¹⁸American Civil Liberties Union, "State of Tennessee V. Scopes," ACLU, accessed February 2021. These witnesses included scientists and evolutionary experts who could defend Scopes.¹⁹American Civil Liberties Union, "State of Tennessee V. Scopes," ACLU, accessed February 2021. Thus, Darrow was forced to be creative in his defense. Darrow asked Bryan to take the stand as an expert on the Bible. For several days Darrow interrogated Bryan, asking him about the literal interpretation of the Bible.²⁰American Civil Liberties Union, "State of Tennessee V. Scopes," ACLU, accessed February 2021. Unfortunately for Bryan, he unknowingly walked right into Darrow’s trap. Darrow tricked Bryan into making statements that contradicted his own beliefs and made him seem foolish.²¹American Civil Liberties Union, "State of Tennessee V. Scopes," ACLU, accessed February 2021.²¹

Altogether, the trial itself was brief and the jury was able to return a verdict in less than nine minutes.²²American Civil Liberties Union, "State of Tennessee V. Scopes," ACLU, accessed February 2021. The jury decided that Scopes was guilty of teaching evolution but he was only fined $100, the minimum amount for the crime.²³American Civil Liberties Union, "State of Tennessee V. Scopes," ACLU, accessed February 2021. At first, the verdict excited the ACLU because they could appeal to the next level of courts. However, the Tennessee state supreme court overturned the jury’s verdict on a technicality.²⁴American Civil Liberties Union, "State of Tennessee V. Scopes," ACLU, accessed February 2021. The ACLU would have to find another teacher willing to fight the law all the way to the Supreme Court. In the end, the young teacher was found innocent and the $100 fine was quickly forgotten about.

The first page of a poem that mocks evolution in response to the trial. (University of Tennessee Libraries)

An excerpt from a pamphlet that provides examples from the Bible to demonstrate that some of it should be taken metaphorically. Ultimately defending the theory of evolution. (University of Tennessee Libraries)

Significance

Given public interest regarding the Scopes Trial, it is obvious that it had a major impact on the greater narrative of the 1920s. While Bryan won the initial trial, Darrow’s defense won over the American people. Darrow successfully challenged the fundamental beliefs of the Bible. His defense also contested the idea that Divine Creation was the only theory acceptable enough to be taught in schools. Ultimately, the trial highlighted the divide in the United States between modern science and fundamentalism, the word of the Bible.

I believe that the story of the Scopes “Monkey” Trial reinforces modern ideas and opinions about the 1920s. The “Roaring Twenties” was a decade of rapid change, especially considering all the public challenges to the status-quo. From speakeasies, to flappers, to the cultural revolution that gave us jazz music, the Scopes Trial seems to fit right in as it too demanded change.

Why did I Choose the Scopes “Monkey” Trial?

Out of all the events that occurred during the 1920s, I choose to explore the Scopes Trial. Like many others, I was drawn in by the mass publicity of the event and the conflicting descriptions of a legal trial and a circus. Moreover, as a future teacher myself, I was interested in looking at the involvement of religion in a public school classroom. Especially because today, teaching religious perspectives instead of fact-based ones is essentially prohibited.

Bibliography

American Civil Liberties Union. “State of Tennessee V. Scopes.” ACLU. Accessed February 2021.
Cameron, Jacquelyn and Randy Moore. “Exploring the Scopes ‘Monkey’ Trial in Dayton, Tennessee: A Guide to People & Places.” The American Biology Teacher 77, No. 5 (2015): 333-337. Doi:10.1525/abt.2015.77.5.3.
Cutlip, Kimbra. “The Scopes Trial Redefined Science Journalism and Shaped it to What it is Today.” Smithsonian Magazine online. Last modified July 10, 2015.
Featured Image: University of Tennessee Libraries. “Darrow addressing jury.” Accessed March 2021.
Office of the Historian. “Biographies of the Secretaries of the State: William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925).” Office of the Historian, United States of America Department of the State. Accessed February 2021.
Public Broadcasting Service. “John Scopes.” American Experience, PBS. Accessed February 2021. Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/monkeytrial-john-scopes/.
“Tennessee Evolution Statutes.” University of Missouri – Kansas City. Accessed February 2021.

Rachel Olivo

Rachel is a junior at Ramapo College of New Jersey taking Discovering Digital History in the Spring of 2021. She is studying History and Education and is looking forward to becoming a teacher after graduating.