Massachusetts School Law of 1642

The Massachusetts School Law of 1642, often called the "Old Deluder Satan Act," was one of the first laws requiring towns to establish public education. It aimed to ensure children learned basic literacy so they could read the Bible and prevent Satan from misguiding them. The law mandated each town with at least 50 families to appoint a teacher, and with 100 or more families, to establish a grammar school. This legislation recognized education as essential for maintaining a moral and informed society and laid the groundwork for the development of public schooling in America.