The Monkey Trial

Tennessee vs. John Scopes, later dubbed “The Monkey Trail” illustrates the constant battle between traditionalists and modernists. While this trial made a complete mockery of the Tennessee legal system, and was carried out in a manner that was suitable of a Hollywood screenplay, it demonstrated the never ending battle between free will and majority rule. As this subject is reviewed today it may seem foolish or just complete nonsense; yet, today we are still facing similar moral dilemmas to the ones of 1925.

Today, the concept of evolution is still being debated; however, it is widely accepted by the majority of the population despite moral or religious beliefs. This does not mean there are not other issues plaguing our society; debates over abortion, stem-cell research, gay marriage, and even the use of the word God on U.S. currency have made there way to the court room. Each and every day the U.S. legal system is faced with the challenge of somehow appealing to the majority rule and supporting the notion of free will. These are all issues that have taken a place in every Americans live in some way or another, and the decision the court makes will impact us all.

While the same types of problems are being dealt with even today, they are not handled in the same “showboat” manner that this trial was conducted. The concept of evolution was being challenged, but the trial served more as a revenue source, or media circus for the small town of Dayton, Tennessee. I believe that this trial was the beginning of the