An eternal monkey trial? Evolution and creationism in U.S. schools

Abstract

When it comes to creationism, it might seem as if the United States is trapped in a century-long culture-war rut. In a sense, the Scopes Trial of 1925 put science itself on trial, and it can seem as if every new dispute over teaching evolution is only a repetition of that famous trial. In truth, however, the power of creationism has ebbed dramatically over the past 100 years. Adam Laats examines the history of creationist activism and describes the radical diminution in the power of creationism in America’s public schools.