Amish

The Amish

The Amish are a group of traditionalist Christian church. They are closely related to, but distinct from, Mennonite churches. The Amish are known for simple living, plain dress, and reluctance to adopt many conveniences of modern technology.

The history of the Amish church began with a schism in Switzerland within a group of Swiss and Alsatian Anabaptists in 1693 led by Jakob Ammann.

From a population of 5,000 at the beginning of the 20th century, the Amish have grown to a quarter-million strong in North America.  Amish have long been identified with the state of Pennsylvania, but are in fact present today in 28 states as well as the province of Ontario in Canada.

These groups were severely persecuted throughout Europe. Thousands were put to death as heretics by both Catholics and Protestants. To avoid this persecution, many fled to the mountains of Switzerland and southern Germany. Here began the Amish tradition of farming and holding their worship services in homes rather than churches.

The states with the largest Amish populations are Ohio and Pennsylvania.  The largest individual settlements, are found at Holmes County, Ohio, and Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  Indiana has the third highest Amish population. Together these three states are home to roughly two-thirds of all Amish.

Use of Technology

The Amish are averse to any technology which they feel weakens the family structure. Conveniences like electricity, television, automobiles, telephones, and tractors are considered to be a temptation that could cause vanity, create inequality, or lead the Amish away from their close-knit community and, as such, are not encouraged or accepted in most orders.

Most Amish cultivate their fields with horse-drawn machinery, live in houses without electricity, and get around in horse-drawn buggies. It is common for Amish communities to allow the use of telephones, but not in the home. Instead, several Amish families will share a telephone in a wooden shanty between farms.

Electricity is sometimes used in certain situations, such as electric fences for cattle, flashing electric lights on buggies, and heating homes. Windmills are often used as a source of naturally generated electric power in such instances. It is also not unusual to see Amish using 20th-century amenities as inline skates, disposable diapers, and gas barbecue grills because they are not specifically prohibited by the Ordnung.

Technology is generally where you will see the greatest differences between Amish orders. The Swartzentruber and Andy Weaver Amish are ultraconservative in their use of technology—the Swartzentruber, for example, do not allow the use of battery lights. Old Order Amish have little use for modern technology but are allowed to ride in motorized vehicles including planes and automobiles, though they are not allowed to own them. The New Order Amish permit the use of electricity, ownership of automobiles, modern farming machines, and telephones in the home.

Amish clothes

Symbolic of their faith, Amish clothing styles encourage humility and separation from the world. The Amish dress in a very simple style, avoiding all but the most basic ornamentation. Clothing is made at home of plain fabrics and is primarily dark in color.

Amish men, in general, wear straight-cut suits and coats without collars, lapels, or pockets. Trousers never have creases or cuffs and are worn with suspenders. Belts are forbidden, as are sweaters, neckties, and gloves. Men’s shirts fasten with traditional buttons in most orders, while suit coats and vests fasten with hooks and eyes. Young men are clean-shaven prior to marriage, while married men are required to let their beards grow. Mustaches are forbidden.

Amish Education

The Amish believe strongly in education, but only provide formal education through the eighth grade and only in their own private schools. The Amish are exempt from state compulsory attendance beyond the eighth grade based on religious principles, the result of a 1972 U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

One-room Amish schools are private institutions operated by Amish parents. Schooling concentrates on basic reading, writing, math, and geography, along with vocational training and socialization in Amish history and values. Education is also a big part of home life with farming and homemaking skills considered an important part of an Amish child’s upbringing.

Amish Family Life

The family is the most important social unit in the Amish culture. Large families with seven to 10 children are common. Chores are clearly divided by sex roles in the Amish home—the man usually works on the farm while the wife does the washing, cleaning, cooking, and other household chores. There are exceptions, but typically the father is considered the head of the Amish household. German is spoken in the home though English is also taught in school. Amish marry Amish. No intermarriage is allowed.

Divorce is not permitted and separation is very rare.