What did the Puritans believe about education in the Massachusetts Bay Colony?

• A. It should be reserved for the elite class
• B. It was essential for reading the Bible and understanding moral principles
• C. It was not considered necessary for women
• D. It should only be provided by the government

Answer: (B)

Education mattered to the Puritans because they believed every person should be able to read the Bible for themselves and understand the moral teachings it contained. In the Massachusetts Bay Colony, literacy was seen as essential not just for religious life but for maintaining a godly, orderly society. To make this a reality, communities organized schools and required towns to hire teachers, an approach rooted in the belief that ignorance would lead people away from proper conduct. This emphasis on learning to read Scripture led to concrete steps like the Old Deluder Satan Act of 1647, which set up the framework for universal schooling in order to keep people from being deceived by Satan through illiteracy. The aim wasn’t only to train clergy; it extended to broad education, including the founding of Harvard College in 1636 to prepare ministers who would guide the colonies’ religious and intellectual life. So, education was seen as essential for reading the Bible and understanding moral principles, with a community-wide effort to promote literacy and religious education for all.