Law 6226, Spring 2001

Final Exam Question #1

Edward Larson’s Summer for the Gods is an account of the Scopes Trial, the infamous “monkey trial” in Tennessee that also provided the basis of the movie Inherit the Wind. In his study, Larson attempts to not only interpret the trial in the context of the time in which it arose (the 1920s) and understand it in terms of larger questions of law and society in the United States.

For this essay, you need to analyze how effective Larson’s explanation is. This requires you to do two things: explain what Larson’s argument was, and then consider how well he supported it. In doing this, you may want to make use of the ideas about history that we have considered when we read other books this semester (including books read after this assignment was published). You will also want to think in terms of how an argument is articulated and supported more generally. I do not want either a summary of Larson’s argument (you are not writing the Cliff Notes for the book), nor do I want to know whether you approve or disapprove of the statute at issue (your beliefs are none of my business, and are not grounds for an analysis of this book in this class). You are simply deciding whether or not this is a successful piece of history, by analyzing it in light of everything you have learned about history this semester, and then making the grounds of your conclusion clear.

Your paper should be between 5-7 pages long (typed, double spaced). A shorter paper is probably too short, a longer paper is perhaps acceptable, but ten pages is too long. Your papers are due on the day set in the syllabus, you may turn them in earlier if you wish. I would appreciate it if graduating seniors tried to turn their papers in as promptly as possible, and I would also appreciate it if graduating seniors would indicate that they were graduating seniors on their essays (you need not add special pleas for leniency or appeals for mercy).