On This Day, July 21: Monkey Trial ends with guilty verdict in Tennessee

On July 21, 1925, the infamous Monkey Trial concluded with John Thomas Scopes found guilty for teaching evolution, sparking a landmark debate on science versus religion in America. The trial, featuring a clash between prominent lawyer Clarence Darrow and famed orator William Jennings Bryan, highlighted the deep cultural and ideological rifts in the country during the 1920s. Scopes' conviction underscored the conservative resistance to modern scientific ideas, while the trial itself became a symbol of the struggle between traditional beliefs and progressive thought, influencing educational and cultural policies for years to come.