Who are the Amish?
Some 200,000 Amish people live in more than 20 US states On the surface, many Amish look like they stepped out of the rural 19th Century. The most conservative, Old Order groups of these reclusive, religious people drive horses and buggies rather than cars. Many have no telephones or electricity in their homes. They send their children to private, one-room schoolhouses until the age of 13. They eschew technology and preach isolation from the modern world. They do not join the military or accept assistance from the government. The Amish community in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania was a model for the 1985 film Witness starring Harrison Ford, a thriller which contrasted the violent modern world with their peaceful existence. The Amish experience many of the same problems as other communities, but keep them private. Strict regulations Some 200,000 Amish people live in more than 20 US states and in the Canadian province of Ontario. FACTS ABOUT THE AMISH Anabaptist Christian denomination Com
Founded by Jacob Amman (c. 1656 – c. 1730), for whom the group was named, the Amish are a Christian sect that broke off from the Mennonite church in 17th century Europe due to the dissension of religious practices. Because of religious persecution in Europe after the sect was formed, the Amish fled to North America, where they now maintain a population of 50,000 residing in parts of Canada and the Midwest and some eastern states of the U.S. One of the most famous Amish groups lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. For many passersby, the Amish way of life may seem peculiar. Sharing a roadway with a horse drawn carriage, operated by people who appear to have stepped out of the Middle Ages, may seem like some kind of anomaly. However, the simple lifestyle of the Amish, their plain clothing, and their denial of modern technology are a careful expression of their devotion to their religious beliefs. The Amish lifestyle is centered around farming. Men, women, and children all work hard to contri
Part one: Home Chapter 1: At home with the Herschbergers 3 Chapter 2: Milking a two-bucket cow 13 Chapter 3: Cooking in the Yoders’ summer kitchen 23 Part two: School and work Chapter 4: Learning the three Rs 33 Chapter 5: How Grace Yoder spent her summer vacation 43 Chapter 6: Snaps, buckles, and straps 51 Part three: Community Chapter 7: The heart of Amish life 63 Chapter 8: Quilting above Stringtown Grocery 71 Chapter 9: A trip to Dorothy Mast’s country store 81 Part four: Customs Chapter 10: Playing Dutch Blitz and Dare Base 89 Chapter 11: Courtship and marriage 95 Further reading
