Court Case1925
Scopes "Monkey Trial" Begins
The trial of John T. Scopes for teaching evolution in a Tennessee public school began in Dayton, Tennessee. The case pitted prominent attorneys Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan against each other and drew national attention to the tension between science education and religious belief.
Why It Matters
The Scopes Trial highlighted ongoing debates about the separation of church and state, academic freedom, and the role of science in public education that continue to resonate in American civic life.