Part 3, Chapter 8 The End of an Era Summary

The Scopes trial was hardly the end of the anti-evolution movement. Bryan immediately went on the offense for his crusade. He revised what would have been his closing argument into a fiery speech, arguing in it that: evolution theory contradicted the biblical account of creation, destroyed faith in God, diverted attention from spiritually and socially useful activities, and it undermined efforts to change society for the better. In the days following the trial, he arranged to have the address published and gave a rehearsal version of the speech to over 2,000 people in a tiny Tennessee town. His activities were soon cut short, however, when Bryan died on July 26, 1925, less than a week after the trial ended.

Dayton soon returned to normal in the absence of the trial. Scopes left following the...