Investigate the current debate between creationists and evolutionists. The World Wide Web and the Index to a major newspaper, such as the New York Times, can provide a number of specific instances of this discussion.

Research instances of censorship in schools. What types of material have different groups tried to remove from public school classrooms over the past five years? Discuss why an attempt to ban materials might be successful in one community but unsuccessful in another. The events in Kanawha County, West Virginia, during the late 1960s can provide some interesting parallels to the climate surrounding the fictional Hillsboro.

Read further about the lives and careers of the historical people around whom Inherit the Wind revolves—Clarence Darrow, William Jennings Bryan, and H. L. Mencken. Compare and contrast the historical and dramatic personalities.

Investigate the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). What is the mission of this organization and how effective is it in carrying out that mission? List some famous trials in which the ACLU played a pivotal role.