The Scopes Monkey Trial was significant because it was the first trial which openly challenged the American legal system’s acceptance of the creationist view of the origin of species. It represented a landmark trial in which the question of teaching the evolutionary theory in public schools was debated openly.
The trial was a milestone in the development of the separation of church and state in the United States, as well as a victory for science education over religious restrictions. The convictions of John Scopes ultimately were overturned, setting a legal precedent for the teaching of evolution.