The Scopes Trial

A detailed Summary of The Scopes Trial


Edward J. Larson, Summer for the Gods: the Scopes Trial and America's Continuing Debate over Science and Religion (Massachusetts: First Harvard Press, 1998), was a fascinating book on one of the most important trials in American history. The book examines everything that had to deal with the Scopes Trial. It covers what lead up to the trial, during the trial, and the things that happened long after the trial.

This was one of the most interesting books I have read in years. The book had to do with the Scopes Trial. This trial was the state of Tennessee vs. John Scopes. During this time there was a law in place in Tennessee that prohibited the teaching of evolution. John Scopes was a professor in Tennessee that was totally against this law and did not follow it. He was soon arrested and put on Trial, and this is what led to one of the most controversial trials in the nineteen twenties. This trial was conducted in Dayton, Tennessee. This was a small town between Knoxville and Chattanooga.

Part of the book dealt with William Jennings Bryan who was of the leaders against the teaching of evolution. He was


a very religious man and believed that the teaching of evolution went against everything that God stands for. He campaigned his beliefs all over the United States. When the Scopes trial started it really pinned Bryan against a man named Dorrow. Dorrow was defense lawyer for Scopes. Dorrow was not a very religious man. Bryan believed that he was totally against God. He was one if not the best defense lawyers of his time. Bryan took the stand at the trial, and that is where Dorrow shined. Dorrow attacked Bryan in his beliefs. In the end Scopes was found guilty. He was only found guilty because the defense believed had nothing in its case to find him not guilty. But Scopes did not plead guilty because Dorrow knew that if he pleaded guilty he would not be able to take the case to a higher court.

I found the book to be very well written. Larson is a professor of history at the University of Georgia. I believe he was well qualified to write this book. The book had strengths and weaknesses. I think that the only weakness was the start of the book; it took too long to get to the trial. Granted there was a lot to be said about t

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Approximate Word count = 761
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

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