The Scopes Trial is integral to understanding the build up of the Religious Right in the US. People forget that Scopes lost the trial, the real win was the court of public opinion. It made that “literalist” fundamentalist christianity look ridiculous, regressive and anti-science in the public eye. Fundamentalists basically made a retreat to lick their wounds and plot other strategies over the next few decades.
William Jennings Bryant was involved and he’s a pretty critical character to understanding a lot of US economic history too - the idea that economic policy should benefit the common person, that we should not “crucify mankind upon a cross of gold” is something at has resonance today. It’s fascinating to consider how different his views on social welfare are to the people who would agree with him on creationism/teaching evolution in schools today.
The Scopes Trial is integral to understanding the build up of the Religious Right in the US. People forget that Scopes lost the trial, the real win was the court of public opinion. It made that “literalist” fundamentalist christianity look ridiculous, regressive and anti-science in the public eye. Fundamentalists basically made a retreat to lick their wounds and plot other strategies over the next few decades.
William Jennings Bryant was involved and he’s a pretty critical character to understanding a lot of US economic history too - the idea that economic policy should benefit the common person, that we should not “crucify mankind upon a cross of gold” is something at has resonance today. It’s fascinating to consider how different his views on social welfare are to the people who would agree with him on creationism/teaching evolution in schools today.