Scopes Monkey Trial Research Paper

How The Scopes Monkey Trial Impacted Our Education

"What goes on in a classroom is up to the student and the teacher. Once you introduce the power of the state—telling you what you can and cannot do—you've become involved in propaganda." -John Scopes.

As many people know, the 1920’s was a time in which new ideas were often met with uneasiness and fear. Some ideas that led to these feelings included the idea of women’s rights, acceptance of the African American community and culture, and the rise of the K.K.K. In particular, one subject that is still creating doubt today is the debate and rivalry between science and religion. This rivalry has been going on for as long as the two have been created and has not changed since. But it was first …show more content…
Aside from the fact that science and religion were fighting, there were different events of change which were also evident. Some of these changes included the explosion of jazz, flappers and cultural norms, and the great migration.The fact that an old era was bumping up against a new era was basically what happened during this time between the modernists and fundamentalists. With the modernists-people in the scientific society-being the new era and fundamentalists-people in the religious society- being the old. All of these episodes in the 1920’s were all supporting the fact that the theme of this decade was …show more content…
Scopes was represented by a lawyer who was known all over the nation. Clarence Darrow was seen as the voice of the modernists in this trial. He was trying to forbid religion to be taught in schools. Going against Scopes and Darrow, was William Jennings Bryan, a three time presidential candidate and fundamentalist. He was basically trying to get modernists to read their Bibles. The trial, as most people suspected, turned into a media circus, according to . Salesmen and entrepreneurs sold Bibles, food, and even stuffed monkeys. Reporters, preachers, and journalists came from all over the country just to take part in the trail that was the first ever to be broadcasted on

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