Revealing little-known facts about the fight to teach evolution in schools, this riveting account of the dramatic 1925 Scopes Trial (aka âthe Monkey Trialâ) speaks directly to todayâs fights over what students learn, the tension between science and religion, the influence of the media on public debate, and the power of one individual to change history.
Arrested? For teaching? John Scopesâs crime riveted the world, and crowds flocked to the trial of the man who dared to tell students about a forbidden topicâevolution.
The year was 1925, and discussing Darwinâs theory of evolution was illegal in Tennessee classrooms. Lawyers wanted to challenge the law, and businessmen smelled opportunity. But no one imagined the firestorm the Scopes Trial would igniteâor the media circus that would follow.
As reporters, souvenir-hawking vendors, angry protestors, and even real monkeys mobbed the courthouse, a breathless public followed the action live on national radio broadcasts. All were fascinated by the bitter duel between science and religion, an argument that boiled down to the question of who controls what students can learnâan issue that resonates to this day.
Through evocative prose, Anita Sanchez vividly captures the passion, personalities, and pageantry of the infamous âMonkey Trial,â highlighting the quiet dignity of the teacher who stood up for his studentsâ right to learn.
Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.