c) The Old Deluder Satan Act

The Old Deluder Satan Act of 1647 in Massachusetts was a groundbreaking law mandating public education. Established to combat ignorance which Puritans believed the Devil would exploit, the law required towns with 50 or more households to hire a teacher and those with 100 or more to establish a grammar school. This act signifies the early American emphasis on literacy and education, primarily for religious purposes, setting a precedent for public education in the United States.