The Scopes Trial

So, here's our National History Day project for this year. The theme was "Conflict and Compromise," and Maura and I wanted to do something related to religion. We chose Tennessee v. Scopes as our topic and had a ball with it.

I know the sound quality is bad, but our recording equipment was pretty much jury-rigged xD.

We tried to make this as unbiased as possible. If anything offends you, we're very sorry.

Enjoy!

Edit:
To all of you picky critics out there: AT NO POINT IN THE VIDEO DO WE CALL CREATIONISM A THEORY, LET ALONE A SCIENTIFIC ONE.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Documentary
• National
• History
• Day
• Scopes
• monkey
• trial
• Clarence
• Darrow
• William
• Jennings
• Bryan
• Evolution
• Creationism

[luftigus]

Evolution is a fact if we define it as biological change over time. Evolutionary theories are numerous. Today what people call "the theory of evolution" s a congeries of many ideas competing with each other--or as Harvard's Ernst Mayr put it, a "research program." Eugene Windchy's "The End of Darwinism" reports that natural selection was not accepted by leading biologists until the 1940s. According to Stephen Gould, that theory reached its apogee in the 1960s. We still hear a lot about it.

[BibisMcBryde]

It's really sad, society today...

[massspectrician]

I was simply wanted to insure that you realized that a Theory is a highly tested scientific concept. I see all too often people saying that Special Creation is a scientific Theory when it is not even close, it isn't even a testable hypothesis. Saying such isn't a biased position; its an educated one.

[BibisMcBryde]

I realize that. I don't believe in creationism AT ALL. If I hadn't worded it that way, though, they would have jumped all over us for bias. There are a lot of bible-thumpers out there, especially where I am. In fact, one of the judges called us out for mentioning "religous extremists." Thank you for being intelligent, though. It's a real breath of fresh air.

[saxmanchiro]

I'm sure Eugenie Scott and her group are keeping a watchful eye on ALL states who try this stupidity. I can't believe that we are regressing this way. Only in America!

Have you visited RD forum yet?

[harvardprof221]

No worries, it gets a little confusing to keep all of the states in order.

I believe that there is currently a situation in Florida involving legislation that would again make it optional to teach evolution (it was only mandated to be taught in Florida this February!) This will be the place to keep an eye on in the coming months.

[saxmanchiro]

You're right. My mistake.

I understand that other states are trying to push the fundie/ID agenda in public schools. Are you aware of the next battleground?

[harvardprof221]

The Dover Trial actually took place in Pennsylvania.

[saxmanchiro]

Check out the court minutes for the Dover trial in Ohio. Should be a great chance to see modern man up to the same stupidity as Scopes Trial. Good luck. Can you post the finished product for all to see or is it getting submitted to a prof?

[massspectrician]

Creationism is not a SCIENTIFIC THEORY. A scientific Theory represents one of the highest forms of scientific certainty. Creationism couldn't make it to the same level as it isn't scientific (asserts the existence and manipulation by a supernatural interloper which violates the Philosophy of Science).