Science vs Fundamentalism

Question 1

In what way were beliefs in America divided?

Answer 1

Battle between new progressive ideas (popular in urban areas in the north) and traditionalist religious ideas (in the South (Bible Belt) and Midwest)

Question 2

What were disagreements based on?

Answer 2

Disagreed on new attitudes to sex, music, science consumerism. Southerners believed these were turning people away from God and destroying Christian ethos in the US. Advocated for conservative and plain living.

Question 3

What was the Butler Act 1925?

Answer 3

Law passed in Tennessee that made any teaching that went against the divine creation of man taught in the Bible a misdemeanour= teaching Theory of Evolution became illegal

Question 4

What was the Scopes Monkey Trial in 1925?

Answer 4

• Evolution vs Christian Fundamentalism
• Teacher John Scopes put on trial for teaching evolution
• John Scopes and The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) wanted to challenge the bill and its constitutionality

Question 5

How was this trial different from others?

Answer 5

Highly publicised, first court case to be broadcast on national radio

Question 6

What was the verdict?

Answer 6

John Scopes was found guilty, took only 8 minutes for the jury to reach this verdict. Scopes was fined $100 (the minimum the law allowed)

Question 7

Why was the Scopes Monkey trial still considered a loss for Fundamentalists?

Answer 7

• Prosecutor William Jennings Bryan, hero fundamentalist, was publicly humiliated as he was forced to make ignorant, contradictory statements by the defence= fundamentalist beliefs were completely discredited, seen as refusing to join modern society

Question 8

What was the long term effect of the Monkey Scopes Trial?

Answer 8

• Butler Act was upheld
• Mississippi passed a similar law months later
• 1925: Texas banned Theory of Evolution from high school textbooks
• 22 other states made similar efforts but were defeated