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What legal act did the Tennessee legislature pass that led to the Monkey Trials?

  1. National Origins Act

  2. Bill of Rights

  3. Butler Act

  4. Immigration Act

The correct answer is: Butler Act

The Butler Act, passed by the Tennessee legislature in 1925, specifically prohibited the teaching of human evolution in state-funded schools. This legal act directly led to the famous Scopes "Monkey" Trial, where a high school teacher, John T. Scopes, was accused of violating the act by teaching Charles Darwin's theory of evolution in his classroom. The trial became a significant moment in the debate between science and religion, reflecting the cultural tensions of the time regarding modernism and traditional values. The Butler Act's introduction exemplified the growing conflict between scientific ideas and fundamentalist religion, marking a pivotal point in American educational and legal history.