The Monkey Trials

• Fundamentalists believed in fundamental ideas, such as the bible's story of creation, rather than evolution.

  They believe the bible to be literally true, e.g. everything in it literally happened.

  Modernists are the opposite of fundamentalists, they are either not religious or they believe that the stories in the bible are moral lessons rather than fact.
• The Monkey trials took place in Dayton, Tennessee.
• Background to trial:

  Fundamentalists did not agree with evolutionary ideas or Darwinism - they created an anti-evolutionary league to campaign against schools teaching Darwin's theory.

  This league had success in some areas.

  In 1925, Tennessee passed the Butler act, which made teaching Darwinism illegal.
• People involved in the Monkey Trials:

  • John Scopes, teacher

  Arrested for teaching Darwin's theory

  • Darrow (agnostic)
  • Byron (fundamentalist)
• Beliefs of the two sides:

  Prosecution led by Byron (fundamentalist) Vs Darrow leading the defence.

  Darrow wanted to challenge the law itself, rather than John Scopes.

  Darrow question Byron on his beliefs and tries to challenge ideas of fundamentalists.

  Trial ended with an attack by Byron, on Darrow's attitude to the Bible and Darrow calling Byron's ideas foolish.
• Outcome:

  Darrow made case about ideas rather than Scopes actions.

  Judge was a committed protestant and refused to accept this - fine set at $100.

  Butler act remained in force until 1967

  • Trial helped the religious debate get national attention
  • Damaged the cause of fundamentalists - beliefs were mocked by national news + urban audiences