What did the Old Deluder Satan Law of 1647 require?

The Old Deluder Satan Law of 1647 was significant in the early development of education in colonial America, particularly in New England. This law mandated that every town with 50 or more families must appoint a teacher whose primary responsibility was to instruct children in reading and writing. The intention behind this law was to ensure that children were educated in a way that would enable them to read the Scriptures and understand religious principles, thereby protecting them from the influence of the devil, referred to as "the old deluder."

By requiring towns to establish a system of education, the law represented an early effort to formalize education, making it accessible to the youth in those communities. While other options mention religious aspects such as reciting Scriptures or having a household reader, the main focus of the law was on creating a structured system of public education through the appointment of teachers, which directly contributed to the foundation of public schooling in the United States.