The Scopes Trial |
The Scopes Trial took place a while ago, but
people still discuss it! What makes this trial so fascinating?
Who were the main characters in this trial?
Some say it wasn't even a real trial; what did they mean?
Answering the following questions will give
you some background on this historical event.
That background will give you the information you need to complete the final
task.
Click the links in the questions to find their answers.
The Beginning |
How did the Scopes trial begin? |
Where and when did the Scopes Trial take place? |
What is the unofficial name of this trial? |
What is the Butler Act? |
The People of the Trial |
Who was John Scopes? How did he become involved in the trial and why? |
Who was sent by the Baltimore Sun to cover this trial? What makes him such an interesting figure? |
Who was George Rappalyea? Why did he become involved? |
Why do you think Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan volunteered their services in this trial? What did they hope to gain from it? What made these men so interesting? |
The Controversy
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What are the two sides of this great debate? |
What is the difference between them? |
How long did the trial last and what was the final outcome? |
Why do you think this trial was considered one of the 10 greatest trials of all times? |
Impact on American Culture
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How does some of the music from this time reflect this controversy? Which side does the music represent? |
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What do you think the political cartoonist was saying about the trial's decision in this cartoon? |
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What other things were going on in the world during this time? In 1925 what became the national fad? Why do you think people would do something like this? |
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How did people outside of Tennessee and around the world view this trial? |
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What famous play/movie depicts this trial? What other era in American History is this play used to symbolize? |
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What is the legacy of this trial today? |
The Task |
So now that you have learned about the Scopes "Monkey" Trial and you are an expert in this field, it is your job to create a presentation for the class so everyone else can be just as informed. Your presentation should highlight the people, places, what happened and how it influenced the nation. It can be a PowerPoint or a TimeLiner slide show. It must be multimedia though and include sounds and pictures. Lastly, include a listing of all resources (bibliography) in MLA format. |