COLEGIUL NAIONAL GHEORGHE IEICA

DROBETA TURNU SEVERIN

THE AMISH

ELEV: BLVNESCU ALEXANDRU MIREL

CLASA: a XII-a E
PROFESOR COORDONATOR: PROF. TEFAN MIHAELA

2016

Table of Contents

1. Argument......................................................................................2

2. Introduction.................................................................................3

3. History..........................................................................................5

4. Population and distribution.......................................................7

5. Religion........................................................................................9

6. Lifestyle and culture.................................................................12

7. Health issues..............................................................................15

8. Education...................................................................................17

9. Relation with the outside world...............................................21

10.Conclusion.................................................................................23

11.Bibliography.............................................................................24

Argument
Amish communities are very different from any ethnic or religious minority
communities in our country. This is the main reason why I decided to do my research paper
about them. I want my work to be a kind of guide for those who are interested in the history of
this community. Another reason is that they are farmers and I also have farmers in my family.
The main Amish community is in Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Amish farms vary in size from 60 to
160 acres. The Amish are very environment-conscious in their methods of farming. They are
more concerned with soil conservation than with high crops. They use natural methods, such
as crop rotation, to counter pests and diseases.
Life for Amish people today is the same as it was for their ancestors three hundred
years ago. They wear the same traditional clothes. They speak to each other using their own
special dialect. They live in large family groups, with two or three generations under the same
roof. They live in simple wooden houses without mains water and mains electricity. The
water they need is taken from wells and the houses are lit by oil lamps. They have no
telephones, no dishwashers and no TVs. They do not drive cars. They travel in horse-drawn
buggies.
Neighbourliness is very important for the Amish. They spend a lot of time visiting
their neighbours and helping each other. It is very common in Amish communities for friends
and neighbours to come together to build new barns for each other. Everyone helps on these
occasions- men, women and children. They have huge celebrations, like sisters days, when
all the married sisters from a family bring their own husbands and children together.
Amish communities have their own schools. There is usually one teacher who teaches
all the children together in one room. The older children help to teach the younger ones.
Schooling ends after the eighth grade, at the age of thirteen or fourteen, because the Amish do
not believe in higher education for their children.
Amish people all have a very strong belief in God. They have no churches, but they
meet every Sunday in each others homes to worship together. They have a large number of
rules about how to live their lives. All Amish people promise to obey these rules when they
are adults. If people break the most important rules, the rest of the community will not speak
to them until they say they are sorry for their mistakes.
Today there are about 100 000 Amish people living in North America and they try to
keep their traditional life in the middle of a very different modern American society. The
Amish do not believe that modern technology is evil. But they are afraid that if they allowed it
into their lives, it would destroy many important things for them. They say if they had cars,
they would live further apart. They think if they had TVs, there would be less time for
conversation. They believe that if they had telephones, they would stop talking face-to-face.
And they are afraid that if they had tractors, they would become greedy and want more land
than they really need.

Introduction

The Amish are a group of traditionalist Christian church fellowships with Swiss
Anabaptist origins. 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. Those who
followed Ammann became known as Amish.
In the early 18th century, many Amish
and Mennonites immigrated to Pennsylvania for a
variety of reasons. Today, the most traditional
descendants of the Amish continue to speak
Pennsylvania

German,

also

known

as

"Pennsylvania Dutch," although a dialect of

Swiss German is used by Old Order Amish in the
Adams County, Indiana area. As of 2000, over
165,000 Old Order Amish live in the United
States and about 1,500 live in Canada. A 2008
study suggested their numbers have increased to
227,000, and in 2010 a study suggested their
population had grown by 10 percent in the past
two years to 249,000, with increasing movement
to the West. Unlike most Americans who have had a birthrate too low to maintain the
population since the early 1970s, most of the Amish continue to have 67 children while
benefiting from the major decrease in infant and maternal mortality in the 20th century.
Between 1992 and 2013, the Amish population increased by 120%, while the US population
increased by only 23%.
Amish church membership begins with baptism, usually between the ages of 16 and
25. It is a requirement for marriage within the Amish church. Once a person is baptized with
the church, he or she may marry only within the faith. Church districts average between 20
and 40 families, and worship services are held every other Sunday in a member's home. The
district is led by a bishop and several ministers and deacons. The rules of the church, the
Ordnung, must be observed by every member and cover most aspects of day-to-day living,

including prohibitions or limitations on the use of power-line electricity, telephones, and

automobiles, as well as regulations on clothing. Most Amish do not buy commercial insurance
or participate in Social Security. As present-day Anabaptists, Amish church members practice
nonresistance and will not perform any type of military service. The Amish value rural life,
manual labor and humility, all under the auspices of living what they interpret to be God's
word.
Members who do not conform to these community expectations and who cannot be convinced
to repent are excommunicated. In addition to excommunication, members may be shunned, a
practice that limits social contacts to shame the wayward member into returning to the church.
Almost 90 percent of Amish teenagers choose to be baptized and join the church. During
adolescence rumspringa ("running around") in some communities, nonconforming behavior
that would result in the shunning of an adult who had made the permanent commitment of
baptism, may meet with a degree of
forbearance. Amish church groups
seek to maintain a degree of
separation

from

the

non-Amish

world, i.e. American and Canadian

society. There is generally a heavy
emphasis on church and family
relationships. They typically operate
their own one-room schools and
discontinue formal education after grade eight, at age 13/14. Until the children turn 16, they
have vocational training under the tutelage of their parents, community, and the school
teacher.

History

The Amish Mennonite movement descends from the 16th century fellowship known
as the Swiss Brethren. The Swiss Brethren were Anabaptists, and are often viewed as having
been a part of the Radical Reformation. "Anabaptist" means "one who baptizes again"a
reference to those who had been baptized as infants, but later adopted a belief in "believer's
baptism", and then let themselves again be baptized as adults. These Swiss Brethren trace
their origins to Felix Manz (c. 14981527) and Conrad Grebel (c. 14981526), who had
broken from reformer Huldrych Zwingli.
The Swiss Brethren (from which both Amish and Mennonites draw their roots) began
in Zrich, Switzerland but were pushed out by Swiss
authorities; the turning point of the persecution being the
execution of Anabaptist leader Heinrich Frick in the fall of
1635. This pushed the Swiss Brethren into Canton Bern.
Though the Amish take their name from Jakob
Amman their history is much deeper than Amman. The
Amish and Mennonites draw their history from a group
known as the Swiss Brethren. The term Amish was first used
as a schandename (a term of disgrace) in 1710 by opponents
of Jakob Amman. The first division between Swiss Brethren
was recorded in the 17th century between Oberlnders (those among the hills) and
Emmentaler (those living in the Emmetal valley). The Oberlnders were a more extreme
congregation; their zeal pushing them into more remote areas and their solitude making them
more zealous.
Swiss Anabaptism developed, from this point, in two parallel streams. Those
following Amman became known as Amish or Amish Mennonite. The others eventually
formed the basis of the Swiss Mennonite Conference. Because of this common heritage,
Amish and Mennonites retain many similarities. Those who leave the Amish fold tend to join
various congregations of Conservative Mennonites.
Amish Mennonites began migrating to Pennsylvania in the 18th century as part of a
larger migration from the Palatinate and neighboring areas. This migration was a reaction to
religious wars, poverty, and religious persecution on the Continent. The first Amish

immigrants went to Berks County, Pennsylvania, but later moved, motivated by land issues
and by security concerns tied to the French and Indian War. Many eventually settled in
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Other groups later settled in, or spread to the American
states Alabama, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota,
Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Maryland, Tennessee,
Wisconsin, Maine, and Canadian Province Ontario.
The Amish congregations remaining in Europe slowly merged with the Mennonites.
The last Amish congregation to merge was the Ixheim Amish congregation, which merged
with the neighboring Mennonite Church in 1937. Some Mennonite congregations, including
most in Alsace, are descended directly from former Amish congregations.
Most Amish communities that were established in North America did not ultimately
retain their Amish identity. The original major split that resulted in the loss of identity
occurred in the 1860s. During that decade Dienerversammlungen (ministerial conferences)
were held in Wayne County, Ohio, concerning how the Amish should deal with the pressures
of modern society. The meetings themselves were a progressive idea; for bishops to assemble
to discuss uniformity was an unprecedented notion in the Amish church. By the first several
meetings, the more traditionally minded bishops agreed to boycott the conferences. The more
progressive members, comprising approximately two-thirds of the group, retained the name
Amish Mennonite. Many of these eventually united with the Mennonite Church, and other
Mennonite denominations, especially in the early 20th century. The more traditionally minded
groups became known as the Old Order Amish.

Population and distribution

Because the Amish are usually baptized no earlier than 18 and children are not
counted in local congregation numbers, it is hard to estimate their numbers. Rough estimates
from various studies placed their numbers at 125,000 in 1992; 166,000 in 2000; and 221,000
in 2008. Thus, from 1992 to 2008, population growth among the Amish in North America
was 84 percent (3.6 percent per year). During that time they established 184 new settlements
and moved into six new states. In 2000, about 165,620 Old Order Amish resided in the United
States, of whom 73,609 were church members. The Amish are among the fastest-growing
populations in the world, with an average of seven children per family.
In 2010, a few religious bodies, including the Amish, changed the way their adherents
were reported to better match the standards of the Association of Statisticians of American
Religious Bodies (ASARB). When looking at all Amish adherents and not solely Old Order
Amish, there were about 241,000 Amish adherents in 28 states in 2010.
There are Old Order communities in 27 U.S. states and the Canadian province of
Ontario; Ohio has the largest population (55,000), followed by Pennsylvania (51,000) and
Indiana (38,000). The largest Amish settlements are in Holmes County in northeast Ohio,
Lancaster County in south-eastern Pennsylvania, and Elkhart and LaGrange counties in
northeast Indiana.
The largest concentration of Amish west of the Mississippi River is in Missouri, with
other settlements in eastern Iowa and Southeast Minnesota. The largest Amish settlements in
Iowa are located near Kalona and Bloomfield. Another major settlement of 10,000 Old Order
Amish is also located in West Central Wisconsin. Because of rapid population growth in
Amish communities, new settlements are formed to obtain enough farmland. Other reasons
for new settlements include locating in isolated areas that support their lifestyle, moving to
areas with cultures conducive to their way of life, maintaining proximity to family or other
Amish groups, and sometimes to resolve church or leadership conflicts.
Most Pennsylvania Amish weddings take place after the autumn harvest, from late
October through December. Traditionally, they are held Tuesdays and Thursdays, so there is
time in between to get ready for and clean up after each. Even so, it can get pretty busy during
the "wedding season," with some Amish going to two or three weddings in one day!

An Amish wedding is a particularly joyous occasion, for two baptized members of the
church are joining in marriage, continuing the faith and starting a new family together. While
parents do not select who their children will marry, approval must be given, and the deacon
usually acts as the go-between. At a church service after fall communion, the couples
planning to marry are "published," or announced in front of the congregation. But much
preparation, mainly by the brides parents, has already begun, including the early summer
planting of several hundred stalks of celery, an important part of any Lancaster Amish
wedding feast.
The wedding service itself, held in the home
of the brides parents, is similar to the regular Sunday
church service; however, the focus is on the serious
step of marriage, for in the Amish religion, there is
no divorce. After the service, the benches are put
together to form tables for the wedding meal, which
is a feast indeed, including "roast," a mixture of bread
filling and chicken, mashed potatoes, cole slaw, apple
sauce and creamed celery. Some leafy celery stalks
are also put in jars to decorate the table. Among the
desserts are pies, doughnuts, fruit and pudding. There
are usually several wedding cakes, some made by the
women, but often one from a bakery as well, which
are usually eaten later in the day. It will take several seatings to feed 200-300 (or more)
guests. In the afternoon, the young people have a singing, and soon it is time for those who
have stayed through the day to enjoy the evening meal. Hymn-singing again follows the meal,
dominated by "faster hymns."
After spending the night at the brides home, the newlyweds awake the next day to
begin helping with the clean-up from the day before. The couple will spend upcoming
weekends visiting relatives, sometimes stopping at five or six houses between a Friday and
Sunday night. Wedding gifts are usually given to them at this time. By the spring, the couple
is usually ready to move into a home of their own, and the groom will have begun growing his
beard. This is an Amish tradition that signifies a man is married.

Religion

The Pennsylvania Amish are a private people who believe that God has called them to
a simple life of faith, discipline, dedication and humility. They believe that the Amish religion
should be practiced, not displayed, and translated into daily living rather than focused on
tangible symbols or complicated religious rituals. Their belief is that God has a personal and
abiding interest in their lives, families and communities is the force that holds them together
in spite of the pressures of the outside world.
Faith-based Amish traditions include wearing plain clothing, living in a simple manner
and helping a neighbor in need. Church buildings with pews are traded for services in
community homes, choirs for solemn hymns without music and professional pastors for
community leaders.
The Amish church service is an
act of worship, a preservation of
tradition, a renewal of faith, and an
affirmation

of

community.

Communities are divided into church

districts geographically, which enables
services to be held in church members'
homes, as opposed to designated
church buildings. Services are conducted every other Sunday, with each family in a district
hosting neighbors for worship about once a year.
In order to accommodate religious services of up to 150 people in homes, each church
district owns a bench wagon full of backless benches, which are transported from house to
house for the three-hour services. The Amish men and women usually sit in separate sections
for church itself. Hymns are sung from the Ausbund, a special hymnal used by the
Pennsylvania Amish. There are usually three to seven preachers and bishops at a service.
These "untrained" clergy preach powerful, emotional messages, often moving about since the
congregation may be seated in different rooms of the home. Some ministers present their
message in a chanting, sing-song manner, in the Pennsylvania German dialect, with scriptures
in High German. Common religious scripture themes include leading a right life in the eyes of
the Lord; resurrection; and the idea of "judge not that ye be not judged." Scriptures are

followed by brief minister messages, prayer and more song.

After the religious service concludes, the rooms are cleared of people and some of the
benches are converted into tables so that a light lunch can be served. Due to limited space,
men and women eat in shifts, oldest through youngest, and usually in separate rooms. The
meal may consist of coffee, bread, "church spread" (a combination of peanut butter and
marshmallow), jam, apple butter, red beets, pickles, cheese, and sometimes snitz (dried apple)
pie. Social time follows the meal.
Well over 400 years old, the Ausbund is one of the most famous and important books
to the Pennsylvania Amish. First published in German in 1564 shortly after the Reformation,
it is reported to be the oldest Protestant hymnal in continuous use. With hymns added over the
years, editions today contain nearly 900 pages. The Ausbund is important for many reasons,
but most notably for the religious tradition that it preserves. The core of the book consists of
about 50 hymns written mostly by 16th century German Anabaptists, many imprisoned in
castle dungeons for their religious beliefs. Therefore, the tone of many hymns is one of great
sorrow, loneliness or protest against the world of wickedness.
Hymns at a religious service are sung in German, with no organ or musical
accompaniment, and in unison with no harmonizing. It may take as long as 15 minutes to do
three stanzas, and for this reason entire hymns are not always sung. Perhaps the most amazing
aspect of Amish singing is the fact that the hymnal contains no musical notation. Melodies
have simply been remembered and passed down from generation to generation, most having
originated in sacred or secular folk songs and Gregorian chants of the times. Because certain
men in the congregation have natural musical talent, they come to learn the melodies over the
years and may emerge as song leaders or "vorsingers."
Like all religious groups, The Amish have traditions that they observe upon the death
of a family member. And like so many of their religious ceremonies, the Pennsylvania Amish
are reminded that their focus should not be so much on this world as on the world yet to
come.
Funeral practices of the Lancaster Amish settlement differ somewhat from those in
other areas. In Lancaster County, an Amish body is taken to a local funeral director who is
familiar with Amish funeral customs. Family members might wash the body before the
undertaker arrives. The undertaker embalms the body and typically dresses it in long
underwear before placing it in the coffin. Coffins are six sided, with two pieces on hinges that
fold down to reveal the body from the chest up, and lined with material made and provided by
the Amish. The coffin is then returned to the Amish family. The body is usually dressed in

10

white clothing by family members of the same sex. For men, this means white pants, vest, and
shirt; for women a white dress, cape and apron. In many cases, the white cape and apron are
the same that were worn on a woman's wedding day.
In the meantime, word goes out about the death to relatives and those in the church
district, and an obituary appears in the local newspaper. Prior to the day of the funeral service
and burial, usually three days after the death, friends and neighbors come to the home to view
the body. This is a somber time, with men and women dressed in black, quietly sitting in one
or two rooms. Visitors greet the family members, and then are asked if they would like to see
the body. They are taken to the coffin, and the white sheet or cloth is pulled back to reveal the
face of the deceased. The undertaker does not use make-up or cosmetics on the face when he
embalms the body.
On the day of the funeral, a religious service is held in the home. During the sermons,
ministers refrain from eulogizing the deceased; instead, they tend to reference the story of
creation. Following the religious service, buggies will process to the cemetery, and because
there are so many, a number designating the order is often written in chalk on the side. The
coffin is placed in the hearse, a box-like enclosed carriage drawn by a horse. The long line of
carriages heading to the cemetery is a solemn, impressive sight. There are about 20 Amish
cemeteries in Lancaster County, with gravestones that are fairly uniform stating the name,
birth date, death date and age in years, months and days. Older cemeteries may have stones in
German, but more modern ones are in English. At the cemetery, the grave has already been
dug. There is no singing. Rather, a traditional hymn is read by the minister or bishop until the
grave is filled by the pallbearers. The Lords Prayer is prayed silently. Some of the Amish in
attendance will return to the home for a simple meal.

11

Lifestyle and culture

On the surface, the PA Amish lifestyle might appear to be staid and inflexible.
However, it reflects a way of life that is based on a literal interpretation of the Bible, as well
as unwritten rules from the Amish Ordnung that prescribes behavior, appearance and other
aspects of the Amish culture. The resulting community of Amish in PA is one of humility,
modesty, obedience, equality and simplicity.
The family is the most important social unit among the PA Amish; those with seven to
ten children are not uncommon. This high birth rate feeds the growth of the community of
Amish in PA, as does the fact that four out of five children choose to become baptized and
remain in the church. Jobs, friendships and business opportunities provide incentives to stay.
With several generations often living under the same roof, there is both a sense of
continuity and participation in family life.
Upon reaching teenage years, many youth
engage in traditional recreation, but others
engage in more worldly activities before
choosing whether or not they want to be
baptized as adults in the church.
In Amish society, older family
members are respected and cared for by
the family and community, often moving
into a special addition to the house. The
PA Amish generally do not accept social security and try to avoid the use of nursing homes.
The characteristic style of plain Amish dress is the most obvious outward
manifestation of their faith, purity and social separation from the world. It demonstrates group
allegiance and identity, as well as the willingness to yield to group standards.
PA Amish men wear dark-colored suits, straight-cut coats with no lapels, broadfall
trousers, suspenders, solid-colored shirts, black socks and shoes, and black or straw broadbrimmed hats. Shirts fasten with conventional buttons; suit coats and vests fasten with hooks
and eyes. Men do not wear mustaches and generally wait until after marriage to grow beards.
Amish women wear modest, solid-colored dresses, usually with long sleeves and a full
skirt, a cape and apron. The clothing is fastened with straight pins or snaps. Hair is never cut
and is worn in a bun on the back of the head, concealed by a prayer covering. Single women
in their teens and twenties wear black prayer coverings for church services; a white covering

12

is worn at most times by women of all ages. PA Amish women are not permitted to wear
jewelry or printed fabrics.
At home and in their community, the Amish in PA speak a dialect of German. This
language, originally known as Pennsylvania Deutsch, has gradually become known as
Pennsylvania German, or Pennsylvania Dutch. The use of this dialect binds the PA Amish
together and naturally limits interaction with the non-Amish. Amish children learn English at
school and also study High German for worship services.
The Amish taboo on electricity has become one of the public symbols of their
separation from the world. Because public electric and utility lines provided a literal and
mysterious connection to the outside, the use of power generated from them - and from
generating plants - is forbidden. This ban has prevented secularly influences from intruding
into the home and has silenced endless debates over the use of new electrical gadgets such as
radios, TVs and appliances and more. While the 110-volt power generated from public utility
lines is prohibited, 12-volt selfcontained batteries are unconnected
to the outside world, and therefore
permitted.
In order to power tools for
the

cottage

industry,

farm

equipment and some household

appliances, the Amish in PA get
creative, using air or hydraulic
powered motors. This pressure can be used to operate larger household equipment like
washers and sewing machines, but not smaller ones such as clothes dryers, toasters, blow
dryers, microwaves, TVs, and doorbells. Bottled gas is used to operate major appliances such
as refrigerators, stoves and water heaters. Home freezers have been banned due to the fear that
they would lead to other electric appliances. To light their homes and shops, the PA Amish
utilize pressurized gas lanterns to mount on walls, hang from ceilings and attach to mobile
carts.
When the modern car became a common fixture in American life, it also became the
American symbol of freedom, independence and mobility - transforming the slower pace of
horses and trolleys. In all of these ways, the motorized vehicle clashed with the traditional
values of Amish culture. Moreover, the very concept and progression of the automobile
breeds pride and inequality in the eyes of the Amish in PA.

13

Travel by horse and buggy is

the prominent mode of transportation,
naturally

limiting

travel,

and

therefore, interaction with the nonAmish world. This also prevents the
erosion of geographically-organized
local

church

districts,

because

members cannot simply drive to the

congregation of their choice.
While owning a car is not
permitted, being a passenger is no
compromise to the beliefs of the PA
Amish. Accepting rides from neighbors or hiring a driver is a way for the Amish to use cars as
a means of transportation to social functions on the outskirts of the settlement, but not disrupt
the Amish culture or social structure. Amish businessmen often have agreements with nonAmish persons to haul materials as needed, or hire a non-Amish employee who provides a
vehicle.
The church permits the use of trains and buses as modes of transportation to shop,
work at markets or visit far-flung settlements. These are unlike a car in that they cannot be
used for personal status. Travel by air, however, is prohibited because it is viewed as too
modern and worldly. Moreover, it should be largely unnecessary, as the Amish in PA are not
engaged in professional occupations or vacations to faraway places.
The PA Amish church placed a taboo on the bicycle in order to keep youth close to
home. However, non-motorized scooters are viewed as a compromise between walking and
the bicycle, and many youth ride them to school.

14

Health issues

Amish populations have higher incidences of particular conditions, including

dwarfism, Angelman Syndrome, and various metabolic disorders, as well as an unusual
distribution of blood types. Amish represent a collection of different demes or genetically
closed communities. Since almost all Amish descend from about 200 18th-century founders,
genetic disorders that come out due to inbreeding exist in more isolated districts (an example
of the founder effect). Some of these disorders are quite rare, or unique, and are serious
enough to increase the mortality rate among Amish children. The Amish are aware of the
advantages of exogamy, but for religious reasons only marry within their communities. The
majority of Amish accept these as "Gottes Wille" (God's will); they reject use of preventive
genetic tests prior to marriage and genetic testing of unborn children to discover genetic
disorders. However, Amish are willing to participate in studies of genetic diseases. Their
extensive family histories are useful to researchers investigating diseases such as Alzheimer's,
Parkinson's, and macular degeneration.
While the Amish are at an
increased risk for some genetic
disorders, researchers have found their
tendency for clean living can lead to
better health. Overall cancer rates in the
Amish are reduced and tobacco-related
cancers in Amish adults are 37 percent
and non-tobacco-related cancers are 72
percent of the rate for Ohio adults. The
Amish are protected against many types
of cancer both through their lifestyle
and through genes that may reduce their
susceptibility to cancer. Even skin cancer rates are lower for Amish, despite the fact many
Amish make their living working outdoors where they are exposed to sunlight. They are
typically covered and dressed by wearing wide-brimmed hats and long sleeves which protect
their skin.
Treating genetic problems is the mission of Clinic for Special Children in Strasburg,
Pennsylvania, which has developed effective treatments for such problems as maple syrup
urine disease, a previously fatal disease. The clinic is embraced by most Amish, ending the
need for parents to leave the community to receive proper care for their children, an action
that might result in shunning. Another clinic is DDC Clinic for Special Needs Children,
located in Middlefield, Ohio, for special-needs children with inherited or metabolic disorders.
The DDC Clinic provides treatment, research, and educational services to Amish and nonAmish children and their families.
People's Helpers is an Amish-organized network of mental health caregivers who help
families dealing with mental illness and recommend professional counselors. Suicide rates for

15

the Amish are about half that of the general population.

The Old Order Amish do not typically carry private commercial health insurance. A
handful of American hospitals, starting in the mid-1990s, created special outreach programs
to assist the Amish.
Although not forbidden, most Amish do not practice any form of birth control. They
are against abortion and also find "artificial insemination, genetics, eugenics, and stem cell
research" to be "inconsistent with Amish values and beliefs".

16

Education

Home, school, farm and workplace are tied together through family for the Amish in
Lancaster PA. This type of economic function, with the family and its members working as a
unit within the supporting Amish community, creates a strong bond and gives each worker a
clear and vital " place" through the work he or she performs.
The Amish in Lancaster, PA build and maintain their own church-funded, one-room
schoolhouses, where children study a curriculum that emphasizes basic skills - reading,
writing, spelling, geography and practical math, plus both English and German. Each school
houses an average of 30 students, which are within walking distance of their homes. Teachers
are typically single Amish women who are chosen by a local school board of parents for their
academic ability and commitment to religious values and Amish views.
Formal Amish education only lasts through the eighth grade. There is no option to
attend modern public school, nor a higher education institution. The Amish in Lancaster, PA
believe that either of these options would pull children away from their community's families
and church traditions, threatening their values with individualism, competition, rational
thinking and secularism. In 1972, the United States Supreme Court officially ruled that the
Amish could not be forced into
compulsory high school education and
sanctioned their system of one-room
schools and education through the
eighth grade.
Because the Lancaster, PA
Amish believe that classroom learning
represents only half of the knowledge
needed to make one's way as an adult,
farming and homemaking skills are an
extremely important part of a child's
education. Therefore, after formal
schooling is completed, Amish children typically receive some vocational schooling, or
"education by doing," once a week. They learn about the operation and techniques of farming,
or the trade of their father. Boys start helping out with plowing and other related jobs at an
early age, and girls work with their mother and sisters.
Amish Family Work Roles
With an average of seven or eight children per Amish family, each member plays a
part in the family's economic survival. On a Lancaster County farm, an individual's work and
responsibilities directly affect the family. Each person is less an individual and more a
member of the family, with responsibilities that contribute. A "paycheck" comes daily in the
form of food, clothing, shelter and affection.

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Chores are fairly clearly divided by gender role in the Lancaster Amish home. Men
usually work on the farm, with women helping from time to time, if needed. Men are also
mainly in charge of financial matters, while women do the cooking, washing, cleaning, etc.
Children grow up identifying with the parent of their gender. Boys tag along behind their
father, and girls stay indoors to help their mother. There are, of course, many exceptions to
this, but men are to be the head of the household. Men and women accept these roles as given
to them by God, with the mindset being that women are not inferior to men, but subordinate.
Amish Farming in Lancaster County
While farming was not an integral tenet of Anabaptism, agriculture has always been a
major part of the Amish lifestyle. Believing that practical knowledge, hard work and long
hours are the "technological marvels" that make farm life fruitful, the Amish in Lancaster, PA
practice impressive levels of thrift and self-sufficiency, which they believe are mandated by
the Bible. Farming is not merely a job or career; it is viewed as a way of life anchored in
Scripture, blessed by God and handed down over the generations by Amish ancestors. It
provides a seedbed for nurturing strong families in the values of hard work, frugality,
responsibility, simplicity and family cooperation.
Horses are a trademark identity of the Lancaster Amish and their farming, used to
plow, cultivate and harvest crops. Tractors are commonly used on Amish farms in Lancaster,
PA, but only for power around the barn - to blow silage to the top of large silos, power feed
grinders, spin ventilating fans and the like. They are not used for field work. Why the
distinction? Over the decades since the invention of the tractor in the early 1920s, several
versions were rejected for field use, most notably because of the fear that their self-propelled,
mobile nature would surely lead to cars. Moreover, using horses in the fields helps to limit the
size - and corresponding cost - of Amish farms, thereby promoting equality and protecting the
small family farm. Horses also maintain a slower farming pace, preserving jobs that are the
heartbeat of the Lancaster, PA Amish community.
Over time, additional farm equipment with independent powers sources (such as
wagons, corn planters, plows and sprayers) was permitted on the fields to increase
productivity, as long as it was adapted for horse-drawn use. Pulling such modern machinery
with horses is a compromise that preserves the Lancaster Amish tradition and identity while
allowing just enough progress for farmers to remain competitive.
Amish Industry: the Shift From "Plows to Profits"
As most visitors to Pennsylvania Dutch Country quickly notice, a large number of the
Amish in Lancaster, PA earn a living in non-farming occupations. Amish shops selling
everything from quilts to gazebos dot the countryside. What were the factors behind this shift
from "plows to profits," and how is it affecting Lancaster Amish culture today? The
beginnings of this shift actually had something to do with farming changes among the nonAmish.
Horse-drawn equipment became increasingly scarce after 1940, as more American
farmers began using tractors. Consequently, several Amish mechanics opened machine shops
to refurbish horse-drawn implements, and welders and mechanics began producing parts to

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repair the equipment. Taking a major turn, they also began buying equipment designed for
tractors and adapting it for use with horses. Thus, somewhat ironically, the Amish in
Lancaster, PA were nudged into business in order to preserve their horse farming in the face
of a booming agriculture business enamored with tractors.
By the 1970s, making a living by farming was becoming more difficult. The
increasing Amish population, coupled with decreasing farmland and higher prices, made
getting started difficult or impossible for some. Others found the payments on the farm,
building, loans, mortgages and interest a hardship. One alternative was to move to another
area where farmland was available and cheaper. Others looked at ways to supplement their
income by having a family member work out for others, sometimes on a carpentry crew, as a
farmhand, or as a cleaning lady in homes of non-Amish. But of most concern to the Amish in
Lancaster, PA was the concern of known as the "lunch pail" problem - the possible necessity
of having to work in a factory. They were concerned about work that involved going outside
the family and community for economic survival, fearing it could drive a wedge into the
family and cause disruption.
A good compromise between farming and factories came to be in the 70s and 80s that of Amish manufacturing shops and cottage industries. During this period of explosive
business growth, Amish entrepreneurs ventured into industry within the Lancaster Amish
community, then to non-Amish neighbors, then to tourists. Over the years, they have found
that Amish industry has enriched community life. Work remains near the home, family
members often work together, and financial resources are kept within the community.
Moreover, Amish control eliminates Sunday sales, fringe benefits, adverse personnel policies
and other influences that sometimes accompany factory employment.
Four types of Amish industries in Lancaster, PA consume much of work that is done
away from the farm:
1. Cottage industries located on farm or beside home: crafts, repair work, light
manufacturing
2. Large shops: farm machinery, lawn furniture, storage sheds, etc.
3. Mobile carpentry and construction crews: contruct homes, install kitchens, build silos
4. Retail stores: sell hardware, appliances, clothing, furniture, quilts and crafts for the PA
Amish community, non-Amish neighbors and tourists
Amish shops in Lancaster, PA produce an amazing variety of products and services.
Woodworking trades comprise the largest cluster of enterprises - furniture building, cabinet
making and storage barn and gazebo construction, as well as more general woodworking
activity. Smaller wood products, such as doghouses, birdhouses, cupolas, picnic tables, and
lawn furniture also flow from Lancaster Amish shops. The small storage sheds widely
distributed in several states are another popular product of Amish carpentry shops.

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20

Relation with the outside world

As time has passed, the Amish have felt pressures from the modern world. Issues such
as taxation, education, law and its enforcement, and occasional discrimination and hostility
are areas of difficulty.
The Amish way of life in general has increasingly diverged from that of modern
society. On occasion, this has resulted in sporadic discrimination and hostility from their
neighbors, such as throwing of stones or other objects at Amish horse-drawn carriages on the
roads.

The Amish do not usually educate their children past the eighth grade, believing that
the basic knowledge offered up to that point is sufficient to prepare one for the Amish
lifestyle. Almost no Amish go to high school and college. In many communities, the Amish
operate their own schools, which are typically one-room schoolhouses with teachers (usually
young unmarried women) from the Amish community. On May 19, 1972, Jonas Yoder and
Wallace Miller of the Old Order Amish, and Adin Yutzy of the Conservative Amish
Mennonite Church, were each fined $5 for refusing to send their children, aged 14 and 15, to
high school. In Wisconsin v. Yoder, the Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned the conviction,
and the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed this, finding the benefits of universal education were not
sufficient justification to overcome scrutiny under the Free Exercise Clause of the First
Amendment.
The Amish are subject to sales and property taxes. As they seldom own motor
vehicles, they rarely have occasion to pay motor vehicle registration fees or spend money in
the purchase of fuel for vehicles. Under their beliefs and traditions, generally the Amish do
not agree with the idea of Social Security benefits and have a religious objection to insurance.
On this basis, the United States Internal Revenue Service agreed in 1961 that they did not
need to pay Social Security-related taxes. In 1965, this policy was codified into law. Selfemployed individuals in certain sects do not pay into nor receive benefits from the United
States Social Security system. This exemption applies to a religious group that is
conscientiously opposed to accepting benefits of any private or public insurance, provides a

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reasonable level of living for its dependent members and has existed continuously since
December 31, 1950. The U.S. Supreme Court in 1982 clarified that Amish employers are not
exempt, but only those Amish individuals who are self-employed.

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Conclusion
In comparison to our fast-paced society, the simpler, family-centered Amish way of
life holds a special fascination. The Amish trace their heritage back hundreds of years, and
yet, despite all the time that has passed and the changes that have taken place in society, they
still live and work much as their forefathers did.
As a matter of fact, their families and their farms are their top priorities, second only
to God. They are very devout in their faith and believe in the literal interpretation and
application of Scripture as the Word of God. They take seriously the Biblical commands to
separate themselves from the things of the world. Moreover, they believe worldliness can
keep them from being close to God and can introduce influences that could be destructive to
their communities and to their way of life.
Socializing is an important part of Amish life. They have a strong sense of
community and often come to the aid of those in need. The barn raisings are a good example.
Neighbors freely give of their time and of their skills to help one another.
Obviously, it is the peaceful lifestyle of these plain people that attracts curiosity today.
Many wonder how these people can survive in their supposedly backwards way. In fact, they
are not only surviving, they are thriving. Since 1960, the Amish population in Lancaster
County has almost tripled. Their separation from the rest of the society helps to strengthen
their community.
With our societys current interest in restoring family values, much can be learned
from studying the Amish way of life. After all, their devotion to family and community and
their strong and work ethic are good examples for our larger society.

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Bibliography

http://www.discoverlancaster.com/amish-country/
http://www.exploring-amish-country.com/amish-culture.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amish
http://www.religioustolerance.org/amish.htm
http://lancasterpa.com/amish/amish-people/
http://www.amishcountry.org/explore-the-area/areahistory/amish-culture/

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