Culture Wars: Traditionalism vs. Modernism

Active learning works especially well for this topic because the culture wars of the 1920s were lived experiences, not abstract debates. Students engage more deeply when they step into the roles of historical figures or analyze primary sources that reveal the day-to-day tensions between tradition and change.

• 11th Grade
• US History
• 4 activities
• 25 min–50 min

Learning Objectives

1. Compare the core values of urban modernists and rural traditionalists in the 1920s, citing specific examples of their beliefs and practices.
2. Analyze the Scopes Trial as a focal point for the conflict between scientific inquiry and religious fundamentalism in American society.
3. Explain the primary motivations for enacting Prohibition and evaluate the social and economic consequences that led to its repeal.
4. Critique the effectiveness of Prohibition as a social policy, considering its impact on crime rates and public respect for the law.

Socratic Seminar

⏱ 45 min·Whole Class

Socratic Seminar: Debating the Scopes Trial

Students read excerpts from both the prosecution and defense arguments in Tennessee v. Scopes before engaging in a teacher-guided discussion about academic freedom, local control of education, and religious belief. The seminar develops the skill of understanding a historical argument on its own terms.

Prepare & details

Analyze how the Scopes 'Monkey' Trial reflected the clash between science and religion.

Facilitation Tip: During the Socratic Seminar on the Scopes Trial, pause after each speaker to ask students to restate the previous point, which builds listening skills and reinforces close reading of primary texts.

Setup: Chairs arranged in two concentric circles

Materials: Discussion question/prompt (projected), Observation rubric for outer circle

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Gallery Walk

⏱ 35 min·Pairs

Gallery Walk: Urban Modernism and Rural Traditionalism

Stations feature images and short texts representing urban modernism (Jazz, flapper fashion, speakeasies) alongside rural traditionalism (Prohibition rallies, fundamentalist sermons, KKK marches). Students annotate observations and questions at each station, then debrief on how geography and economics shaped these different experiences.

Prepare & details

Explain the motivations behind Prohibition and why it ultimately failed.

Facilitation Tip: When students prepare for the Gallery Walk, assign each group a specific perspective to research so they can defend it during the walk, making the debate more focused.

Setup: Wall space or tables arranged around room perimeter

Materials: Large paper/poster boards, Markers, Sticky notes for feedback

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Think-Pair-Share

⏱ 25 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Why Did Prohibition Fail?

Students read a brief text on Prohibition enforcement challenges, then discuss in pairs whether Prohibition was doomed from the start or could have worked with better enforcement. Pairs share their reasoning with the class, sharpening the skill of evaluating policy arguments with evidence.

Prepare & details

Compare the values of urban modernists with rural traditionalists in the 1920s.

Facilitation Tip: For the Think-Pair-Share on Prohibition, give students one minute of silent processing time before pairing to ensure quieter students have a chance to organize their thoughts.

Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor

Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Role Play

⏱ 50 min·Whole Class

Role Play: Town Hall Meeting on Teaching Evolution

Students take roles representing a school board, a fundamentalist parent group, a science teacher, and an ACLU observer in a simulated 1925 town meeting debating whether evolution should be taught in local schools. The activity builds the skill of arguing from a specific historical perspective with historically grounded reasoning.

Prepare & details

Analyze how the Scopes 'Monkey' Trial reflected the clash between science and religion.

Setup: Open space or rearranged desks for scenario staging

Materials: Character cards with backstory and goals, Scenario briefing sheet

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Teaching This Topic

Experienced teachers approach this topic by treating it as a living controversy rather than a historical footnote. They use role play and simulations to help students feel the stakes, and they emphasize that the 1920s were not a simple clash between good and evil but a complex negotiation over who gets to define America. Avoid framing the debate as a moral judgment; instead, guide students to analyze why these values mattered to different groups and how power shaped the outcomes.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students confidently articulating both sides of the debate, using evidence to support their arguments, and recognizing that these conflicts did not end in the 1920s but continued to shape American life. They should leave the unit with a clear sense of how cultural conflicts become political and legal battles.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the Socratic Seminar: Debating the Scopes Trial, some students may think the trial settled the evolution debate once and for all.

What to Teach Instead

During the Socratic Seminar, ask students to create a one-sentence timeline of legal battles over evolution education from the 1920s to the 2000s, using the Scopes Trial as a starting point to show the debate’s continuity.

Common Misconception

During the Think-Pair-Share: Why Did Prohibition Fail?, students may assume Prohibition was a total failure with no benefits.

What to Teach Instead

During the Think-Pair-Share, have students analyze a graph of alcohol consumption and public health data before, during, and after Prohibition to identify both successes and failures, grounding the discussion in evidence rather than assumptions.

Assessment Ideas

Discussion Prompt

After the Socratic Seminar: Debating the Scopes Trial, assign small groups to write a 3-4 sentence news report from either Dayton, Tennessee, or a city street discussing Prohibition, using details from the seminar to capture the cultural conflict.

Quick Check

During the Gallery Walk: Urban Modernism and Rural Traditionalism, give students a short primary source excerpt (e.g., a quote from William Jennings Bryan or a speakeasy description) and ask them to identify which side of the culture war it represents and justify their answer in one sentence.

Exit Ticket

After the Town Hall Role Play: Teaching Evolution, have students write one sentence explaining the main argument of the prosecution or defense in the Scopes Trial and one sentence explaining a key reason why Prohibition was difficult to enforce, using evidence from the role play.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge: Ask students to research a modern culture war issue (e.g., critical race theory, gender identity in schools) and compare it to the 1920s debates in a short presentation.
• Scaffolding: Provide sentence starters for the Town Hall Role Play, such as "As a parent, I am concerned because..." or "As a scientist, I believe..." to help students articulate their positions.
• Deeper exploration: Have students interview a family member or community member about a cultural change they have witnessed and present it alongside a 1920s source to show continuities and differences.

Key Vocabulary

Modernism	A cultural and artistic movement in the early 20th century that emphasized innovation, individualism, and a break from traditional values, often associated with urban life.
Traditionalism	A belief system that emphasizes adherence to established customs, religious doctrines, and social norms, often associated with rural and Protestant communities in the 1920s.
Prohibition	The nationwide constitutional ban on the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages in the United States from 1920 to 1933.
Scopes Trial	A 1925 court case in Tennessee that debated the legality of teaching evolution in public schools, highlighting the tension between science and religion.
Nativism	A policy or ideology of protecting the interests of native-born or established inhabitants against those of immigrants, prominent in the 1920s.