The '''Scopes Trial''', sometimes known as the '''"monkey trial,"''' took place in the small hill town of Dayton, in east [[Tennessee]] in 1925. It was a test case brought to challenge to the state's Butler Act which prohibited public schools from teaching the theory that man had evolved from more primitive life forms. The willing defendant, high school teacher [[John Scopes]], had indeed used the textbook ''[[A Civic Biology]]'' that included a unit on evolution. He was duly convicted, although this was later overturned on a technicality. The trial was a national media sensation, pitting evolution versus against the Bible. The trial was broadcast for four hours a day by radio station WGN of Chicago, and was covered in detail by many nbewspapersnewspapers.
== Publicity Motivation ==
The impetus for the Scopes trial began in a meeting among town leaders at a drugstore in Dayton, Tennessee, in response to a newspaper advertisement placed by the American Civil Liberties Union ([[ACLU]]) offering to provide legal services to anyone willing to be prosecuted under the Butler Act.<ref>{{hnb|Larson|2006}}, {{hnb|Linder|2002}}. See also {{hnb|Coulter|2006}}</ref> Town leaders agreed that a trial would provide publicity to the town,<ref>{{hnb|Larson|2006}}</ref> whose population had dwindled to 1,800.<ref>{{hnb|Linder|2002}}</ref> The town leaders found a willing defendant in John Scopes, a gym teacher and football coach who also substituted (sometimes as a biology teacher), though Scopes could not recall ever teaching evolution.<ref>{{hnb|Larson|2006}}. See also {{hnb|Coulter|2006}}</ref> John Scopes told the town leaders, "If you can prove that I've taught evolution and that I can qualify as a defendant, then I'll be willing to stand trial."