Did the passage of the Volstead Act and the ruling in the Scopes trial represent genuine triumphs for traditional values?

Answer 1

The trial was about the right of a teacher to include Darwin's theory of evolution in his presentation to his class. What this meant to many was that he was teaching that God did not create man, as written in the Book of Genesis, but that man evolved vie evolution, from apes and monkeys and chimps.

Added Comment: The term "traditional values" is a misnomer when used in the context of the question. The Scopes trial was a legal contest pitting the teaching in public schools of the 'scientific methodology' of evolution versus Christian religious teachings/belief.

The question is actually a reference to this legal controversy, and not reflective of how life was customarily lived according to traditional American social values.

Answer 2

The passage of the Volstead Act represented a victory for traditional values as it upheld temperance and moral standards by prohibiting the manufacture and sale of alcohol. However, the ruling in the Scopes trial, which resulted in a teacher being convicted for teaching evolution in a Tennessee school, was seen as a setback for traditional values as it highlighted tensions between science and religion in society.