The Scopes Monkey Trial was a landmark legal case in 1925 that pitted religion against science It challenged the right of a state to outlaw the teaching of evolution in its public schools. On one side of the case was famed defense attorney Clarence Darrow, representing teacher John T. Scopes and other advocates of science. On the other side was former presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan, who represented Tennessee's law that made it illegal to teach evolution in schools. The trial, which took place in Dayton, Tennessee, is widely regarded as one of the most important legal cases in American history.
Five Best Examples of Writing Prompts on the Scopes Monkey Trial:
1. Analyze the primary legal arguments presented by both sides in the Scopes Monkey Trial, and explain why the case is still relevant for legal scholars today.
2. Examine the impact of the Scopes Monkey Trial on the public opinion at the time, and discuss its implications for science and religious freedoms today.
3. Analyze the evidence presented at the trial, and discuss what this trial tells us about the then-current scientific consensus on evolution.
4. Trace the origin of the Scopes Monkey Trial, and explain how this case came to be so influential in the legal debate over the teaching of evolution in public schools.
5. Compare and contrast the legal strategies used by Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan in the Scopes Monkey Trial, and explain why Darrow's argument ultimately prevailed.