the-monkey-trial

TheMonkeyTrial任钰莹王馨娜刘倡闫慧BackgroundProcessResultFundamentalismEvolutionistProsecutor(19March1860–26July1925)Americanlawyer,statesman,andpoliticianWilliamJenningsBryanJohnScopesDefendantTeacher(1900~1970)代顿街上和斯各普斯所在的学校ClarenceSewardDarrowDefenseCounsel(辩护律师):(1857–1938)HenryLouisMenckenEditor,essayist,andcritic.1880-1956JudgesoftheMonkeyTrialDaytonsceneduringthetrialcircusatmospherefestiveatmosphereinDaytonAllsortsofactivitiesweregoingoninthetownandtherewasakindofnoisyholidayspiritthere.(Suddenlythetownwastransformedintoakindofcircuswithmanypeoplecomingtohearthetrial.Thetownpeopletookadvantageofthesuddeninfluxofvisitorstoexpandtheirbusinessactivities.)TheprocessofthetrialThefirstdaywasthepreliminaryfightbetweenthosetwolawyers.Onthesecondday,theprosecutionbegancallingwitnessesagainstScopes.Severalpupilstestifiedagainsthim.AnotherroundofheateddebatewentonbetweenDarrowandBryan.Thencametheclimaxofthetrial.DarrowcalledBryanasawitnessforthedefence.Openingstatementspicturedthetrialasatitanicstrugglebetweengoodandevilortruthandignorance.Bryanclaimedthat“Ifevolutionwins,Christianitygoes.Darrowargued,Scopesisn'tontrialcivilizationisontrial.DarrowexaminesBryanOnthethirdday,theverdictcameoutandScopeswasconvictedandfined$100,butthetrialwasseenasavictoryforevolution.CourseThedefensearguedforthescientificvalidityofevolutionandagainsttheconstitutionalityoftheButlerAct,butitdidnotdenythatScopeshadbrokenthelaw.Darrow,incross-examiningBryan,succeededinpointingoutseveralseriousinconsistencies(矛盾)inFundamentalistbelief.Thecourtrefusedtoconsiderthevalidityofthelaw.Instead,itaskedthejurytodetermineonlywhetherScopeshadviolatedthatlaw.Thetrialinvolvedseveraldistinguishedlawyers,including:DefenseCounsel(辩护律师):ClarenceDarrow,oneofAmerica'sleadingcriminallawyers.Prosecutor:formerU.S.secretaryofstate,three-timepresidentialcandidateWilliamJenningsBryanResultsScopeswasconvictedandfined$100,buttheverdictwaslaterreversedontechnicalgroundsbythestatesupremecourt.TheButlerActremainedonthebooksuntil1967.Thetrialwasseenasavictoryforevolution.AlthoughScopeslostthetrial,yethisinfluenceonthesocietyandthelawwasunmatched.Wheneverwetalkaboutthegreatesttrialofthetwentiethcentury,thathonor,ofcourse,mustgototheMonkeyTrialof1925.SowhyistheScopestrialconsideredthetrialofthecentury?Wecountedthefollowingways:TheScopesTrialwasaboutwhetherScienceandReligioncouldbereconciled.ItwasasymbolicstruggleforAmerica'sculturebetweentheforcesofTraditionalismandtheforcesofModernism.Itwasaboutwhetherwelookforguidancefrom,asBryansaidthefaithofourfathers,orfromourownintellects.TheScopesTrialwasaboutwhatmuchofthetwentiethcenturyhasbeenabout.TheScopesTrialproducedwhattheNewYorkTimescalledthemostamazingcourtroomsceneinAnglo-Americanhistory,thecallingofprosecutorWilliamJenningsBryantothestandbyClarenceDarrowforexaminationonthequestionofwhethereverystoryintheBiblewasliterallytrue.Ifthatwerenotstrangeenough,theexaminationtookplaceinthecourthouselawnbeforeacrowdofthousandsafterthejudgeexpressedconcernthatthecourtroomfloormightcaveinbecauseoftheweightofspectators.TheScopesTrialinspiredInherittheWind,oneofthegreatestcourtroomdramaseverstarringSpencerTracyasDarrow,FredricMarchasBryan,andGeneKellyasMencken.Today,thebattlebetweenDarwinismandcreationismcontinuesinanationbuiltaroundtheseparationofchurchandstate.