The significance of the Scopes Monkey Trial, which took place in 1925, lies in its clash between science and religion, specifically surrounding the teaching of evolution in schools. John T. Scopes, a high school teacher in Tennessee, was charged with violating state law by teaching Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. The trial captured national attention and became a symbol of the broader cultural conflict between modernist and traditionalist views. It highlighted issues of academic freedom, legal interpretation, and the role of religion in public education, influencing public discourse around science and education for decades.