A Century Later: The Scopes Trial's Unfinished Business

In 1925, a small town in Tennessee became the center of a big debate. A teacher, John Scopes, was put on trial for teaching evolution. This was a big deal because Tennessee had a law against it. The trial was like a showdown between science and religion. Two famous figures, Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan, went head-to-head.

• Clarence Darrow: A defense attorney who didn't believe in God.
• William Jennings Bryan: A Christian who believed in the Bible's literal stories.

The Trial's Significance

The trial was more than just about a law. It was about bigger ideas.

• Bryan's Perspective: He thought that if evolution won, Christianity would lose.
• Darrow's Perspective: He saw it as a fight for civilization against bigotry.

The courtroom was packed, and the trial was broadcasted on the radio. People were divided.

• Some supported the Bible.
• Others supported science.

The Debate

Darrow tried to prove that the Bible wasn't always accurate. He asked Bryan about stories like Jonah and the whale. Bryan stuck to his beliefs, but it was clear that the Bible and science didn't always match.

The Verdict

The jury, all men who went to church, found Scopes guilty. But the trial didn't end the debate. The law stayed on the books for decades. Some schools still didn't teach evolution.

The Legacy

Even today, the fight continues. Some people try to teach creationism in schools. Courts have said no, but the debate goes on.

The Scopes trial was a long time ago, but the questions it raised are still relevant.

• Can science and religion coexist?
• How do we teach our kids about the world?

These are tough questions, and the answers aren't simple.