Scopes (Monkey) Trial Overview

Scopes (Monkey) Trial – Overview

Scopes trial, Tennessee legal case involving the teaching of evolution in public schools. A statute was passed (Mar., 1925) in Tennessee that prohibited the teaching in public schools of theories contrary to accepted interpretation of the biblical account of human creation. John T. Scopes, a biology teacher, was tried (July, 1925) for teaching Darwinism in a Dayton, Tenn., public school. Clarence Darrow was one of Scopes's attorneys, while William Jennings Bryan aided the state prosecutor. Darrow argued that academic freedom was being violated and claimed that the legislature had indicated a religious preference, violating the separation of church and state. He also maintained that the evolutionary theory was consistent with certain interpretations of the Bible, and in an especially dramatic session he sharply questioned Bryan on the latter's literal interpretation. Scopes was convicted, partly because of the defense, which refused to plead any of the technical defenses available, fearing an acquittal on a technical rather than a constitutional basis. Scopes was, however, later released by the state supreme court on a technicality. Although the outcry over the case tended to discourage enactment of similar legislation in other states, the law was not repealed until 1967.

Clarence Darrow, center, at the trial, July 1925.(Library of Congress) Can't Make a Monkey of Me

We're in a revolution just over evolution. The battle of ages is on. Some scientists have claimed We're human just by name, That monkeys and men are the same. But Darwin's theory doesn't sound good to me. I might have monkey manners But with him I can't agree.

You can't make a monkey of me. You can't make a monkey of me. There's not a monkey in my family tree. I've searched on each branch from Adam to me. I am inclined to believe The story of Adam and Eve. There's no chimpanzee In my pedigree. And you can't make a monkey of me.

Can science ever prove it? Will monkey trials remove it? We don't have ideas of our own. In some would monkeys be. Let them stay in their tree. But don't talk their chatter to me. That long missing link Puts history on the blink. I'll give you my opinion The whole chain was lost I think.

You can't make a monkey of me. You can't make a monkey of me. There's not a monkey in my family tree. I've searched on each branch from Adam to me. I am inclined to believe The story of Adam and Eve. There's no chimpanzee In my pedigree. And you can't make a monkey of me.