The name "John Thomas Scopes" is spelled as /dʒɒn ˈtɒməs skəʊps/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The first name is pronounced with a soft "j" sound followed by a short "o" sound and a nasal sound for the "n". The middle name is pronounced with a silent "h" and a short "o" sound followed by a soft "m" sound and a short "u" sound. The last name is pronounced with a hard "s" sound, a long "o" sound, and a soft "p" sound followed by a voiceless "s" sound.
John Thomas Scopes was an American educator and the central figure in the infamous 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial. Born on August 3, 1900, in rural Kentucky, Scopes grew up in a conservative Christian community. After completing his education, he began teaching science at the Rhea County Central High School in Dayton, Tennessee.
In 1925, Scopes faced charges of violating the Butler Act, a Tennessee law that prohibited the teaching of human evolution in public schools. The trial, which gained national attention, pitted fundamentalism against modernism, as renowned lawyers Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan represented the defense and prosecution respectively. The trial was a critical moment in the country's debate over the role of religion and science in public education.
Scopes himself became a symbol of academic freedom and the clash between religious beliefs and scientific theories. Despite being found guilty and fined, the verdict was later overturned on a technicality. Scopes left teaching soon after the trial's conclusion and pursued a career in the oil industry.
John Thomas Scopes left a lasting impact through his involvement in the Scopes Monkey Trial, as the trial itself continues to be referenced in debates surrounding the teaching of evolution and the separation of church and state.