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Difficulty: EasySocial and Political Controversies of the 1920s

"Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, That it shall be unlawful for any teacher in any of the Universities, Normals and all other public schools of the State which are supported in whole or in part by the public school funds of the State, to teach any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has descended from a lower order of animals."
— Tennessee Butler Act, 1925

The legislation excerpted above was a primary catalyst for which of the following major cultural controversies of the 1920s?

  1. The clash between traditional religious fundamentalism and modern scientific theories in public educationAnswer
  2. B
    The political debate over whether the nation should abandon absolute isolationism to join European military alliances
  3. C
    The mobilization of rural agrarian alliances demanding the nationalization of the nation's railroads
  4. D
    The foreign policy crisis surrounding the sinking of the Lusitania and the start of the Spanish-American War

Answer

The clash between traditional religious fundamentalism and modern scientific theories in public education
The correct answer is correct because the Tennessee Butler Act directly targeted the teaching of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution in public schools, reflecting the broader 1920s cultural clash between traditional religious fundamentalism and modern scientific views.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the provided text source to identify the core subject of the legislation.
The Butler Act of 1925 makes it illegal to teach 'any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man' or to teach 'that man has descended from a lower order of animals' in Tennessee public schools.
This establishes that the law restricts teaching biological evolution and mandates Biblical creationism in state-funded schools.
2
Connect this legislative subject to the major historical events and debates of the 1920s.
The law served as the basis for the Scopes Trial of 1925, where John T. Scopes was prosecuted for teaching evolution in a Dayton, Tennessee high school.
The trial brought national attention to the broader cultural divide between religious fundamentalists, who advocated literal Biblical interpretation, and modernists, who accepted scientific theories like evolution.
3
Evaluate the options to select the one that matches this cultural debate and eliminate incorrect options.
The clash between traditional religious fundamentalism and modern scientific theories directly matches the debate over evolution and the Butler Act. Other options reference unrelated foreign policy, historical periods, or incorrect event pairings.
This confirms the correct option while eliminating choices that conflate Populist goals, foreign policy debates, or the causes of the Spanish-American War.

Key Concept

Social and Political Controversies of the 1920s
Estimated Time:45s
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Social and Political Controversies of the 1920s

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