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In the early part of 1925 the Tennessee legislature passed a law - The Butler Act - which made it illegal to teach, in any public school or normal, that man was the product of any process that contradicted the account in The Bible.
The ACLU, recently renamed and largely headed by communist sympathisers (i.e. people opposed to religion in general) decided to arrange a test case which they hoped would get the law repealed on the grounds that it violated the constitution.
To this end they put out a newspaper advert in Tennessee, seeking a school teacher who would admit to having broken the law. (The ACLU undertook to pay all costs, and the fime if the defendent was found guilty)
Several of the leading citizens of Dayton saw this as a chance to get publicity for the town if the trial took place there, and persuaded school teacher John Scopes to admit to having taught evolution in the local high school, even though Scopes later insisted that he had never done any such thing.
There are several online sites which deal with the trial in detail, including one owned by Douglas Linder, and another by Andrew Bradbury.
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoAnswer
The trial was so-called because of the "man is descended from the Monkey" aspect of popular Darwinian belief. the media went ape on the occasion! there were showmen showing captive monkeys- stuffed chimps , pennants, banners all with the simian theme ( not in the court house, of course, but in the town).
It was one of the first American trials to be conducted in a sensational aspect outside of politics ( the Johnson Impeachment case comes to mind, but that was political) It may be argued the John T. Scopes trial ( he was a Biology teacher, not an astronomer or wayward binocular operator!) or Monkey trial well, helped fuel the popular idea of Darwinian evolution, may have inspired the popular song ( Swinging on a star) and other, usually light, fallout.
Answer
Because, in the 1920s - based on Darwin's ideas (which W.J. Bryan quoted at the trial) it was thought by evolutionists that mankind was descended from monkeys of some kind.
It seems that journalist H.L. Mencken actually coined this title for the trial, though his exact reason for choosing the label is not entirely clear.
(Nowadays evolutionists believe that we are effectively parallel descendents, with chimpanzees, etc. from a common ancestor often referred to as "Pan prior". The split came, it is said, about 7-10 million years ago.)
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoBecause John Scopes was teaching about the evolution of humans from apes (monkeys)
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What was the topic of the scopes trial?
The Scopes Trial is also referred to as the "Battle of the Beliefs". It featured Scientific thought against traditional religion. The trial took place over the issue of whether or not religion, and whether God created the world, should be taught at schools. William Jennings Bryan, a Populist leader, took the stand for traditionalism, and was questioned by Clarence Darrow, a successful lawyer who stood for Darwinism. Darrow questioned Bryan's faith. In the end, the court found that it was in fact legal to teach creationism in schools, however in the end Darwinism won, because today we do not teach creationism as the way humans can into being.
What is a common saying that is also a four word alliterative expression?
Monkey See Monkey Do Monkey See Monkey Do
What is a magistrate job at a witch trial?
The magistrates were the procescutors at the trial. The asked the questions. They also presided over the examination, which is like the Grand Jury trial.
What are other witch trials in the unioted states?
The first witch trial in the US was in Windsor Connecitcutt. There was also a trial in Boston.
Japanese monkey -symbol meaning?
In Japan, the monkey's role in guarding against demons originates from the Japanese word for monkey, pronounced saru, which is a homonym for the Japanese word "expel", also pronounced saru. The latter word means to "dispel, punch out, push away, beat away." According to the legends of Japan's Mt. Hiei shrine-temple multiplex, this makes the monkey an "expeller of demons" -- in other traditions, the monkey is also thought to ward off thieves.
What was also known as the monkey trial?
John Scopes for teaching evolution
What is William Jennings Bryan best known for?
William Jennings Bryan was the Democratic Nominee for President in 1896, 1900 and 1908. He was the orator who wrote the famous 'Cross of Gold' speech. He also was on the prosecution tema during the Scopes Monkey Trial.
What was the Scoope's trial?
You are probably thinking of the "Scopes" trial. It took place in 1925, and was also called the Scopes Monkey Trial. It refers to a teacher named John T. Scopes, who taught about the theory of evolution in his biology class in a public school in Tennessee. While today that doesn't sound very unusual, it was against the law in Tennessee-- only the Bible story about creation was permitted. Scopes was charged with violating Tennessee's law about what could and could not be taught in the schools. Scopes' lawyer (the famous Clarence Darrow) argued that the Tennessee law violated Scopes' academic freedom, as well as violating separation of church and state. But Scopes lost and was convicted; he was fined $100. Subsequently, his conviction was overturned on a technicality. The Scopes trial was followed very closely by the newspapers and magazines of that day, and some radio stations even covered the entire trial (TV had not yet been invented, so millions of interested Americans listened to it on radio). The country in 1925 became engaged in a prolonged debate about evolution versus creation, a debate that still persists in some places even today.
Is a fish a monkey?
Yes! A fish is a monkey and is also known as a fish monkey
The best preacher in the world?
William Jennings Bryant could have a good case made for him. While there were many evangelists before or since, he was so popular that he made several credible bids for the Presidency of the United States. He is also noted for assisting in the Scopes Monkey Trial.
Is there a monkey also known as a monkey-monkey?
Monkey-Monkey is the hero of a children's book, based on an African folk tale.
What is the Nuremberg trial also known as?
The first trial was the 'Trial of the Major War Criminals' .
Why did clarence darrow become famous?
US citizen Clarence Darrow became famous for his activities as an attorney. He was involved as a defense attorney and helped end the famous Pullman train car strike. Darrow was also involved in the famous "Scopes monkey " trial. He was born in 1857 and died in 1938.
The lion- tailed monkey is also known as?
macaque
What is monkey wood?
Monkey Wood is a tropical hardwood found in Central America and the Pacific. It is also known as Acacia. It is also called Monkey Pod Wood.
Also known as the organ grinder's monkey which monkey was named for a Franciscan order of friars?
Capuchin
Which plant is also known as monkey bread?
ADANSONIA, Baobab
