Amish Culture
Amish culture is characterized by its strong Christian beliefs and a commitment to a simple, rural lifestyle. Concentrated primarily in areas such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Wisconsin, New York, and Michigan, the Amish community emerged from the Protestant Reformation in Europe, led by Jakob Ammann in the late 17th century. Known for rejecting many modern technologies, including cars and electricity, the Amish prioritize a close relationship with God and the values of family and community life.
Life in Amish communities is governed by a set of rules known as the Ordnung, which dictates various aspects of daily living, such as attire, transportation, and education. Gender roles are distinctly defined, with men typically overseeing decision-making and farming, while women manage home and childcare responsibilities. Education is often limited to the eighth grade, with many young people participating in a period known as rumspringa, where they explore life outside the community before deciding whether to commit to their faith.
Despite the allure of modernity, a significant majority of Amish youth choose to remain within their communities upon reaching adulthood. While most Amish rely on their own resources for healthcare and other needs, some have engaged with outside organizations for public health initiatives, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Amish population has been steadily increasing, with approximately 384,000 individuals in North America as of 2023, reflecting both high birth rates and retention within the community.
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Amish Culture
The Amish people are a closed Christian community whose members are concentrated around Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Wisconsin, New York, and Michigan. Amish society typically rejects modern technologies such as cars and electricity and advocates a simple lifestyle that brings them close to God. They began a major migration to North America from Europe in the early 1700s. Different factions, like the Mennonites and Beachy Amish, have broken with the Old Amish and utilize telephones, cars, and electricity in some circumstances. In spite of the lure of modern culture, few youth born into Amish communities stray from it once they reach adulthood.
Overview
Amish culture dates to the Protestant Reformation in Europe, which produced numerous religious sects in different regions. Swiss Mennonite church leader Jakob Ammann felt his church should more closely adhere to biblical principles, and he emphasized a simpler, pastoral lifestyle than was popular among members of the Roman Catholic Church at the time. His followers broke away from the Mennonites between 1693 and 1697, setting off for the New World. In this patriarchal society, men made the major decisions regarding church rules, outward appearance, gender interaction and what, if any, technology their community used.
From an early age Amish girls and boys are dressed differently and given gender-specific roles and rules to follow. The girls’ and women’s domain involves childcare, the home, and the family garden, while boys and men take care of the farm, finances, and running the church. Both boys and girls learn to speak English and German dialects; the latter known as Pennsylvania Dutch. Life centers around the concept of the Ordnung, which are the rules for living that are specific to each community. The Ordnung governs such matters as the style of buggies a community makes and drives, the colors of the clothes they wear, and how their children are educated. Members of a community who do not adhere to the rules may be excommunicated or shunned. During shunning, no member of the community may talk to or interact with the offending individual.
At church the men and women retain their distinct roles. Religious services are always conducted by male ministers or bishops. The women prepare a meal for after the service. Men and women will eat and socialize at the gathering in separate areas. During rumspringa (which loosely translates to “running around”), young people, generally from ages sixteen to twenty-one, socialize together in groups and away from home, before they decide whether to get baptized and join the church. Although some youth will experiment with alcohol, technology, and urban living, between 80 and 90 percent ultimately elect to stay with their Amish community. Few Amish receive formal education beyond the eighth-grade level.
With less farmland available, some twenty-first century Amish have opened their own businesses, selling everything from custom-made quilts and shoo-fly pie to dry goods and cabinetry. Above all, the Amish value a rural way of life that is rooted in farming and family life. Each community forms a collective that serves the needs of its members for everything from childcare and education to eldercare and healthcare. While most Amish remain within the community for healthcare, in some circumstances they will collaborate with those outside the community. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, which spread to the United States in early 2020, some Amish communities in Pennsylvania worked with state health agencies to raise awareness about public health measures and keep Amish people informed about the risks of COVID-19.
As a closed society, the Amish are exempt from many laws governing other US citizens, including service in the case of a military draft, attending school until age sixteen, and paying for or collecting social security. The Amish population has increased steadily since the early 1990s, due to both high birth rates and high retention of community members. By 2023, according to a study conducted by the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College, there were approximately 384,000 Amish people in North America, the vast majority of them located in the United States.
Bibliography
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