On Point | Podcast How the Scopes ‘monkey’ trial echoes today
Jul 28, 2025
Ed Larson, a historian and professor at Pepperdine University, dives into the Scopes ‘monkey’ trial's pivotal role in American history. He discusses how this early 20th-century case set the stage for ongoing battles over science and religion in education. Larson highlights William Jennings Bryan's efforts against evolution amid a changing society and explores the trial's cultural implications, revealing how its legacy continues to spark debates about curriculum content and educational freedom. This timeless clash remains relevant today.
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John Scopes As Willing Test Case
- The ACLU sought a willing teacher to challenge the Tennessee anti-evolution law, and John Scopes was chosen despite never teaching evolution.
- The trial was partly orchestrated to bring attention and economic benefit to Dayton, Tennessee.
Mencken's Framing Boosted Trial
- H.L. Mencken framed the Scopes Trial as a dramatic conflict: North vs South, urban vs rural, religion vs science.
- This framing helped cement the trial as a cultural touchstone symbolic of larger social divides.
Bryan Saw Science As Amoral
- William Jennings Bryan feared science was an amoral force that could undermine morality and social order.
- He believed religion was necessary to provide the moral guidance science lacked and protect societal values.
