Events Proceeding the Trial

The Butler Act

The Butler Act was introduced by John Washington Butler, a former member of the House of Representatives, and signed by Tennessee governor, Austin Peay. The signing of this law caused the ACLU to take action immediately after they heard that it had passed. The ACLU is an organization that defends the civil liberties of all people. The Butler Act was created to stop teachers from teaching anything that defied the creation of man from the Bible. “Be it further enacted, That teacher found guilty for the violation of this Act, Shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction, Shall be fined not less than One Hundred $ (100.00) Dollars nor more than Five Hundred ($500.00) Dollars for each offense” from Section 2 of the Tennessee Evolution Statutes. The fine converted to today’s dollar is $1700 - $8500.

John Washington Butler, 1923, Yesterday in Dayton

Austin Peay, 1915, Wikipedia

John Thomas Scopes, 1925, Yesterday's America

John Scopes and others talking about how the trial will boost their economy, 1925, Yesterday's America

John Thomas Scopes

John Thomas Scopes was a young high school math and science teacher. Scopes was playing tennis when a group of businessmen, who were leaders in Dayton, Tennessee, the town they lived in. The men saw an advertisement in a newspaper posted by the ACLU. They wanted to gain publicity for the small town. They asked if he would be willing to get indicted for teaching evolution, so they could get a massive amount of people coming to the town because of the infringement of the new law.