In 1925 in Tennessee a teacher went on trial for teaching Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. What was his name, which lawyer defended him, and which famous lawyer was on the prosecution side?

In 1925, a young high school science teacher named John T. Scopes found himself at the center of a legal storm in Dayton, Tennessee. He was charged with violating the state's recently passed Butler Act, which made it illegal to teach any theory that denied the biblical account of divine creation. The trial quickly escalated into a nationally publicized event, pitting two of the era's most prominent figures against each other. Defending Scopes was the famed criminal defense attorney Clarence Darrow, a staunch agnostic, while the prosecution was led by William Jennings Bryan, a three-time presidential candidate and a devout Christian fundamentalist.

The "Scopes Monkey Trial," as it was nicknamed by the press, became a dramatic showdown between modern scientific thought and traditional religious beliefs. The trial was deliberately staged to challenge the Butler Act, with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) offering to defend any teacher willing to test the law. The proceedings drew massive crowds and was the first trial to be broadcast live on the radio, capturing the nation's attention. One of the most memorable moments occurred when Darrow called Bryan to the stand as an expert on the Bible, leading to a fiery exchange on the literal interpretation of scripture.

In the end, John Scopes was found guilty and fined $100. However, the conviction was later overturned by the Tennessee Supreme Court on a technicality, which meant the constitutionality of the Butler Act was not decided at that time. Despite the legal outcome, the trial was a pivotal moment in the ongoing American debate over science, religion, and academic freedom in public education. The Butler Act itself remained on the books in Tennessee until it was repealed in 1967.