The Scopes Monkey Trial

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The ACLU’s plan for the Scopes Monkey Trial was to take the case all the way to the Supreme Court, and have a decision that would be beneficial to themselves. In the book, “Summer for the Gods” by Edward J. Larson discusses the case in its totality. Initially the goal of the organization was to not to criticize any particular religious groups, but wanted to argue for academic freedom. Larson writes, “During the twenties, the ACLU executive committee was never openly hostile toward religion per se…” (Larson 73). In other words, the ACLU’s intentions were not to criticize religious organizations, but to argue for academic freedom, but that was not the case in the Scopes Monkey Trial. The introduction of the famed attorney, Clarence Darrow into …show more content…
With the involvement of famed lawyer, Clarence Darrow, the matter grew into a battle between science and religion. What was originally supposed to be a case against the teaching of evolution in a small town turned into a media circus event. The ACLU defended John T. Scopes, the man charged with violating the Butler Act. Even before the trial started, the ACLU could not maintain their intentions because of both William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow involved. Larson recounts the issue the ACLU faced when he writes, “With Bryan on hand, evolution would be on trial at Dayton, and pleas for individual liberty would run headlong into calls for majority rule” (100). The ACLU could not have planned for those famous men wanting to offer their services for the organization test case. During the trial, Darrow would abandon the ACLU plan, as he attacked Bryan arguments on religion being taken literally (Larson 188-189). The exchange between the two men was one for the ages, as the trial slowly veered into a science vs. religion debate. Larson recounts how the Judge John T. Raulson had to stop the back and forth between the two men in order to focus on Scopes teaching of evolution (191). In the end, the Scopes Monkey Trial was a failure for the ACLU, as Scopes was found guilty by the jury and was ordered to pay a $100 fine (Larson
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