Semester of Graduation
Spring, 2021
Degree
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
History
Document Type
Thesis
Abstract
In 1925, a Tennessee court case prosecuting a high school teacher for instructing his students on the theory of evolution enthralled the country. To Americans listening to the proceedings over the radio or following it in the newspapers, the case appeared to showcase the beginning of a culture war in America. Historians have largely maintained that appraisal in the intervening century. The Tennessee law in question, however, was neither the beginning nor the end of a legislative trend that dominated the decade. Three years before the nation turned its attention to Tennessee, many Americans watched as Kentucky considered the first legislation aimed to limit high school teachers and university professors from including evolution in their science curricula. This thesis focuses on this earlier debate and argues that by concentrating historical attention only on national discussions of anti-evolution bills, Americans have exaggerated the differences between each other. The 1922 discussions in Kentucky elevated the state’s regular citizens alongside religious and academic leaders as they considered the role of science and faith in their communities. By examining the Kentucky anti-evolution debate, it is clear that American shared religious and patriotic values and were willing to make compromises with each other in ways that historians have often neglected.
Recommended Citation
Muhich, Emily, "In The Beginning: Kentucky And The Failure Of The Nation's First Anti-Evolution Bills" (2021). LSU Master's Theses. 5291.
https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_theses/5291
Committee Chair
Gutfreund, Zevi
DOI
10.31390/gradschool_theses.5291