The Old Deluder Satan Act, passed by the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1647

The Old Deluder Satan Act, passed by the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1647
"Thwart the old deluder Satan in his goal to keep men from the knowledge of the Scriptures"

Google AI Overview

The Old Deluder Satan Act, passed by the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1647, required towns with 50 or more families to establish a reading school, and towns with 100 or more families to establish a grammar school, shifting educational responsibility to communities and laying the foundation for public education in America. Driven by the Puritan belief that literacy was essential for reading the Bible, the law mandated that communities hire a teacher and provide funds for the schools, which were intended to prevent children from falling prey to Satan's attempts to keep them from biblical knowledge.

Purpose and Motivation
Religious Motivation: The act's primary purpose was religious: the Puritans believed that "one chief project of that old deluder, Satan" was to "keep men from the knowledge of the Scriptures".

Combatting Illiteracy: To counter this, the law aimed to ensure that all children, not just adults, could read and interpret the Bible for themselves.

Key Requirements of the Act
Elementary Schools: Towns with 50 or more families were required to appoint a teacher to provide instruction in reading and writing.
Grammar Schools: Towns with 100 or more families had to establish a grammar school to provide instruction up to the level required for entry into university, like Harvard University.

Community Responsibility: The law shifted the responsibility for education from individual parents to the entire community.
Funding: The costs for the schoolmasters were to be paid by the parents, the masters of apprentices, or through community funds, as determined by the town.

Legacy
Foundation for Public Education: The Old Deluder Satan Act is considered a foundational piece of legislation for public education in the United States.

Compulsory Education: It established the principle of compulsory education, requiring all towns to provide education for their children.
Shift in Governance: The act also marked a significant step in public financing and state involvement in education, setting patterns for later public school systems.

Old Deluder Satan Act of 1647 (1647) - Free Speech Center
Free Speech Center
firstamendment.mtsu.edu
Jan 1, 2009 — The Old Deluder Satan Act of 1647, laid the basis for public schools in America and also future First Amendment conflicts regarding ...

That Old Deluder Satan: Puritan Emphasis on Compulsory ...
Paul Revere House
paulreverehouse.org
May 15, 2020 — Dubbed “The Old Deluder Satan Law” as a result of its first line detailing Satan's threat to those who lacked an education, the law would ...

Founding of the MTA
Massachusetts Teachers Association
massteacher.org
Passed in 1647, the Old Deluder Satan law required communities with 50 or more households to hire a schoolmaster, with wages paid by the children's parents or ...

Founding of the MTA
Massachusetts Teachers Association
massteacher.org
Passed in 1647, the Old Deluder Satan law required communities with 50 or more households to hire a schoolmaster, with wages paid by the children's parents or ...

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