As we approach the centennial of the Scopes "Monkey" Trial, it's worth revisiting the man whose legislation ignited this landmark case: John Washington Butler. Butler, a Tennessee farmer and state representative, drafted the Butler Act, which made teaching evolution in Tennessee public schools illegal. This law set the stage for Dayton, Tennessee's dramatic confrontation … [Read more...] about John Butler: The Unlikely Catalyst for the Scopes Trial
How Clarence Darrow Came To Join John Scopes’ Defense Team
Clarence Darrow was already one of the most famous defense attorneys in America by the time he joined the Scopes Trial. Born in 1857 in rural Ohio, he grew up in a household that valued free thought and intellectual inquiry. His father, a freethinker and skeptic, influenced Darrow’s lifelong distrust of organized religion and dogma. After briefly attending law school, Darrow … [Read more...] about How Clarence Darrow Came To Join John Scopes’ Defense Team
Tennesssee Named A College After The Governor Who Banned Evolution
On March 21, 1925, Tennessee Governor Austin Peay signed into law the Butler Act, a bill that prohibited the teaching of evolution in public schools. He saw it as a routine measure—one that he believed would have little impact on the state’s education system. But within months, it would ignite a national controversy, culminating in the famous Scopes Trial. A century later, … [Read more...] about Tennesssee Named A College After The Governor Who Banned Evolution
Do You Believe In Evolution? GOP Presidential Debate, 2007
On May 3, 2007, ten Republican candidates for president gathered at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library for the first debate of the 2008 election cycle. The discussion covered expected conservative talking points—taxes, national security, and immigration—but one brief moment stood out: a simple yes-or-no question about evolution.Moderator Chris Matthews asked the candidates, … [Read more...] about Do You Believe In Evolution? GOP Presidential Debate, 2007
John Scopes Actually Wanted To Get Arrested
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) was actively looking for a test case to challenge the Butler Act. When the law was passed, the ACLU issued a press release offering to defend any teacher prosecuted under it. This caught the attention of a group of Dayton businessmen, including George Rappleyea. Rappleyea approached John T. Scopes, a … [Read more...] about John Scopes Actually Wanted To Get Arrested