US History

Science and Technology

The Emergence of Modern America (1890-1930)

Law and Government

This collection uses primary sources to explore the 1925 Scopes Trial.

A photo of John Thomas Scopes in June 1925.

A photo of the Dayton, Tennessee, high school in June 1925.

A photo of scientists asked to testify for the defense, July 1925.

An excerpt from *A Civic Biology: Presented in Problems*, by George William Hunter, 1914. 

Scopes was brought to trial for teaching with this textbook, which features a section on evolution.

An excerpt from *A School History of Tennessee*, 1919, discussing the importance of religion in the state.

A record of witness testimony, from the record and documents of the Scopes trial, 1925.

The excerpt describes witness testimony (including that of a high school student) from the Scopes trial.

A 1925 photo of defense lawyer Arthur Garfield Hays reading scientists’ testimony into the record, near a “Read Your Bible” sign.

A 1925 photo of defense lawyer Clarence S. Darrow interrogating prosecutor William Jennings Bryan during the Scopes trial.

A 1925 photo of outdoor court proceedings showing William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow. 

A photo of zoologist Maynard Mayo Metcalf, the only scientist allowed to testify on the stand at the Scopes trial.

An excerpt from Maynard Mayo Metcalf’s book showing an illustrated outline of his “theory of organic evolution,” 1906.

A photographic portrait of defense attorney Clarence Darrow.

A portrait of William Jennings Bryan.

A 1935 political cartoon, “New Exhibit in the Hall of Fame.”

An excerpt from *Bryan and Darrow at Dayton: the record and documents of the "Bible-evolution trial,”* 1925. 

This excerpt describes the final verdict of the Scopes trial. 

Questions

1. Using the [excerpt from *A School History of Tennessee*](http://dp.la/primary-source-sets/the-scopes-trial/sources/237) and the [excerpt from *A Civic Biology: Presented in Problems*](http://dp.la/primary-source-sets/the-scopes-trial/sources/236), explain why the teaching of evolution in Tennessee schools was a problem.

2. Look at the [image of the defense lawyer Arthur Garfield Hays reading scientists’ testimony](http://dp.la/primary-source-sets/the-scopes-trial/sources/239) into the record near a “Read Your Bible” sign. Who do you think may have hung those signs and why? What might be an impact of those signs’ presence during the trial? 

3. In the [record of witness testimony](http://dp.la/primary-source-sets/the-scopes-trial/sources/238), why do you think Clarence Darrow, the defense lawyer, asks this student if he still attends church?

4. Look at the [“New Exhibit in the Hall of Fame” political cartoon](http://dp.la/primary-source-sets/the-scopes-trial/sources/246). What is the relationship between these animals? What is the cartoon’s commentary on the Scopes Trial?


Activity

Divide the class into groups and, using the [record of witness testimony](http://dp.la/primary-source-sets/the-scopes-trial/sources/238), have students draft questions for either the defense or prosecution in the Scopes trial. What would they ask the student testifying? What might they ask a scientist? Or Scopes, the teacher?

Teaching Guide: Exploring the Scopes Trial

Resources

1. [Evolution: Scopes Trial](http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/08/2/l_082_01.html), PBS. 

2. [This Day in History: Monkey Trial Begins](http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/monkey-trial-begins), History.com. 

3. [The Scopes Trial](http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/twenty/tkeyinfo/tscopes.htm), National Humanities Center. 

4. [Throwback Thursday: The Scopes Trial](http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/03/26/throwback-thursday-the-scopes-trial/?_r=0), *The New York Times*. 

5. [*Epperson v. Arkansas*](https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/393/97), Cornell University Law School. 


Overview

The Scopes Trial (sometimes referred to as the Scopes Monkey Trial) was a 1925 legal case which argued whether human evolution could be taught in public schools. A substitute teacher in Dayton, Tennessee, John T. Scopes, was brought to trial for including evolutionary science in his class curriculum. The Scopes Trial was a highly publicized event that brought the conflict between traditionally religious and more modern scientific views to the forefront. This collection of photos, texts, and accounts from the trial help to give a vivid context for the trial itself, as well as the larger issues of science and religion that Scopes’ case brought into question. 

English

The Scopes Trial

scopes-trial_02_0adde6cfda98cb53be9aaa2ef14b5ff8.jpg

Courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution Archives via the Smithsonian Institution.

Davis, Watson, “Tennessee v. John T. Scopes Trial: Dayton, Tennessee, High School 1925,” Digital Public Library of America, https://dp.la/item/0adde6cfda98cb53be9aaa2ef14b5ff8.

A photo of the Dayton, Tennessee, high school in June 1925.

Cite this item

Tips for Students

Item 2 of 15 in the Primary Source Set The Scopes Trial