Kyle


 * The State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes** (The Scopes "Monkey" Trial)


 * 1925**

On March 21, Governor Austin Peay signs the Butler Bill into law. The Butler Bill supports the teaching of creationism and strictly outlaws the teaching of human evolution from animals(1). On May 4, the American Civil Liberties Union spread the word that they would pay all court fees for anyone willing to challenge the Butler Bill(2).

In April, John T. Scopes, a schoolteacher in Dayton, Tennessee, was convicted of assigning a chapter about evolution while serving as a substitute teacher of a biology. He was also convincted of teaching evolution to his general science class(3). It was clear that his teachings were a violation of the Butler Bill, and on May 5, John T. Scopes becomes to be the first teacher to testify against the Butler Bill in a Tennessee court. The Worlds Christian Fundamentals Organization has William Bryan Jennings represent them in court and become the prosecutor of Scopes in the Scopes "Monkey" Trial (1).

Essentially, Scopes is a violator of the Butler Bill and will be presented in court againt Jennings to debate the outcome of the teaching of evolution in the classroom.

Clarence Darrow volunteers to defend John Scopes in trial. He attempts to prove that the Butler Bill is unconstitutional, but these efforts turn into a large debate concerning religion. Darrow brings many esteemed scientists to the stand but nothing could compare to his rigorous questioning of William Brian Jennings (1). After much of July passed, and the deliberation of this trial ended, John T. Scopes is considered guilty and charged with a one hundred dollar fine (2).

(1) "Timeline: Monkey Trial." PBS Online. 2002. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/monkeytrial/timeline/index.html (2) "The Scopes 'Monkey' Trial." Crevo Press. 2004. http://www.scopestrial.org/ (3) "John Scopes." Doug Lindler. 2004. http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/scopes/SCO_SCO.HTM (4) USA Today. http://images.usatoday.com/tech/_photos/2005/10/10/scopes180.jpg