Primary Source Assignment: Scopes Trial

Primary Source Assignment: Scopes Trial
The early 1920s found American society in a state of flux. Traditionalists (fundamentalists) worried that old values and morals were ending. Younger modernists where pushing the limits of acceptable behavior. Americans danced to the sound of the Jazz Age, showed their contempt for alcoholic prohibition, and wore new shocking fashions. Intellectual experimentation flourished as they debated abstract art and Freudian theories. In a response to the new social patterns set in motion by modernism, a wave of revivalism/fundamentalism developed, becoming especially strong in the South.
Who would dominate American culture–the modernists or the traditionalists? The media was looking for a showdown, and they found one in a Dayton, Tennessee courtroom in the summer of 1925. There a jury was to decide the fate of John Scopes, a high school biology teacher charged with illegally teaching the theory of evolution.
Some called the Scopes Trial the trial of the century. It actually started as a stunt to help a declining Tennessee town by creating hype and tourism. Nevertheless, despite its origins both modernists and fundamentalists/traditionalists wanted to use the trial as a showcase for their point-of-view.
Key Players:
John Scopes, Defendant
William Jennings Bryan, Chief Prosecutor Ben G. McKenzie, Prosecutor A. Thomas Stewart, Prosecutor
Clarence Darrow, Chief Defense Attorney Arthur Garfield Hays , Defense Attorney Dudley Field Malone , Defense Attorney John Randolph Neal, Defense Attorney
Here is the actual law that teacher John Scopes was accused of violating:
House Bill No. 185
(By Mr. Butler)
AN ACT prohibiting the teaching of the Evolution Theory in all the Universities, Normals and all other public schools of Tennessee, which are supported in whole or in part by the public school funds of the State, and to provide penalties for the violations thereof.
Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, That it shall be unlawful for any teacher in any of the Universities, Normals and all other public schools of the State which are supported in whole or in part by the public school funds of the State, to teach any
theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has descended from a lower order of animals.
Section 2. Be it further enacted, That any teacher found guilty of the violation of this Act, Shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction, shall be fined not less than One Hundred $ (100.00) Dollars nor more than Five Hundred ($ 500.00) Dollars for each offense.
Section 3. Be it further enacted, That this Act take effect from and after its passage, the public welfare requiring it.
Passed March 13, 1925
W. F. Barry,
Speaker of the House of Representatives Instructions: 1. Read the trial overview in your book (pgs. 779-781). 2. Go to this link and read Days 2 through 7 of the trial. I would also read “Bryan’s Summations.”http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/scopes/scopes2.htm 3. Then you have two 20 point assignments based on your reading (answer your question completely): If your last name begins A-H you email me the answer to this question: What do you think was Darrow’s best argument in the case? If your last name begins I-P you email me the answer this question: What is your reaction to Darrow’s cross-examination of Bryan? Was it fair? If your last name begins Q-Z you email me the answer to this question: What testimony did the prosecutors want excluded from the trial? Why? 4. Then you need to go to the Discussions tool from the home page and write response to the discussion question or respond to another’s post. There are separate instructions on the post. This is your second 20 points. 5. Remember to use proper “netiquette”:
Netiquette: I expect you to use proper “netiquette” when interacting with me and with your fellow students in the course. Basically, you should think of yourself as a professional engaged in business communications. Do not write in a format that you would not submit to your employer.
Here are some general netiquette guidelines: Use proper grammar and spelling in e-mails and discussion postings. (This is especially important in graded discussion postings.) Avoid using capital letters. This is usually regarded as shouting at the recipient. Remember that humor is difficult to convey in text, so be careful and explicit if you are trying to make a joke. Never post or respond to a personal attack. Never use vulgar language. I will reserve the right to remove any inappropriate messages. If you disagree with a post or idea, present your thesis with evidence supporting it. It is very possible to disagree with a statement politely and productively. Do not leave subject lines blank in e-mails or discussion postings. Your subject line should concisely summarize the subject. For example, if you e-mail me a question about an idea in Chapter 1, place “Ch. 1 Level of Analysis Question” in the heading rather than “hi” or “question.” Cite all sources and references in discussion postings and course assignments.