The theory of evolution has been surrounded by controversy since it was proposed in the late 1800s. While Charles Darwin’s work was influenced by his predecessors, the release of his book On the Origin of Species sparked a debate that would last for decades. Early philosophers like Aristotle and early scientist like Carolus Linnaeus believed that species were unchanging, created specifically as they were by God. While sailing on the HMS Beagle, Darwin, inspired by the works of Hutton and Lyell began to develop his theory based on the observations that he made and specimens he studied. Although he had the gist of his theory laid out well before the release of his book, he anticipated the controversy it would cause and was reluctant to publish
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One of Darwin’s associates, Thomas Huxley, a biologist, championed the side of Darwin, and Samuel Wilberforce, a bishop and orator, spoke against evolution. A fiery debate ensued with each side claiming victory. In the 1920s the debate took center stage once again with the Scopes trial. A young teacher named John Scopes was tried for violating the Butler Act, a Tennessee state law that forbade the teaching evolution in public schools and universities. The theory of evolution was seen as a rejection of Biblical fundamentals and as a reason for the declining morality of the time. The trial was widely publicized, mainly because of the heated courtroom debates between Clarence Darrow who defended Scopes, and the prosecutor William Jennings Bryan. Although Scopes would be found not guilty on appeal, the trial and all of its controversy made many textbook publishers leery of the topic. As a result, the amount of evolution taught decreased in the years immediately following the trial. With time evolution began to slowly make its way back into the classroom but not always without objection. In 1981 Louisiana passed a law requiring that creation science be presented in public schools along with evolutionary science. The law stood until 1987 the US Supreme Court ruled that it violated the
One of Darwin’s associates, Thomas Huxley, a biologist, championed the side of Darwin, and Samuel Wilberforce, a bishop and orator, spoke against evolution. A fiery debate ensued with each side claiming victory. In the 1920s the debate took center stage once again with the Scopes trial. A young teacher named John Scopes was tried for violating the Butler Act, a Tennessee state law that forbade the teaching evolution in public schools and universities. The theory of evolution was seen as a rejection of Biblical fundamentals and as a reason for the declining morality of the time. The trial was widely publicized, mainly because of the heated courtroom debates between Clarence Darrow who defended Scopes, and the prosecutor William Jennings Bryan. Although Scopes would be found not guilty on appeal, the trial and all of its controversy made many textbook publishers leery of the topic. As a result, the amount of evolution taught decreased in the years immediately following the trial. With time evolution began to slowly make its way back into the classroom but not always without objection. In 1981 Louisiana passed a law requiring that creation science be presented in public schools along with evolutionary science. The law stood until 1987 the US Supreme Court ruled that it violated the