Austin Peay, the only Tennessee governor to die in office, began his political career as a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives in 1901. His gubernatorial campaign included promises for improved education, organized transportation and tax reform. Peay came through in all of these areas by passing a bill that secured an eight-month term for all public schools, establishing the Tennessee Department of Transportation and working to pay off $1 million in state debt. Peay was also an active supporter of the environment and pushed for plans that later resulted in Reelfoot Lake and the Great Smoky Mountains being declared state and national parks, respectively. During his four-year term as governor, Peay made quite an impact on the well-being of Tennessee, an impact that is reflected in the structures that have been named for him—Memphis’ Austin Peay Highway and Clarksville’s Austin Peay State University, among other schools and roads throughout the state.

Question:
What landmark Tennessee trial took place while Peay was governor?

Answer:
In State vs. Scopes, commonly referred to as the “Scopes Monkey Trial,”
John T. Scopes was found guilty of violating the Butler Act by teaching
evolution in his classroom. The case, which featured the famous clash
between William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow, eventually went all
the way to the Tennessee State Supreme Court. Today, it is seen as the
opening salvo in the history of creation-evolution controversy.