AmishHistory1

                       Amish History 1


        The Amish
       and the Plain People
The farmlands of the Pennsylvania Dutch Country are among
the most productive in the nation. But many of the farmers here
are different from most Americans; different by choice. For
these are the Old Order Amish and Mennonites, also known as
the "Plain People".

Our Amish neighbors have been employing horse-drawn power
since the days when horsepower had a whole different
meaning! In comparison to our fast-paced society, the simpler,
family-centered Amish way of life holds a special fascination.

These people trace their heritage back hundreds of years, and
yet, despite all the time that has passed and the many changes
that have taken place in society, they still live and work much
as their forefathers did. Their families and their farms are their
top priorities, second only to God.

The Amish are very devout in their faith. They 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. 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.

Today there are over 25 different Amish, Mennonite, and
Brethren church groups in Lancaster County, all holding to
slightly different traditions and their own interpretations of the
Bible. The more traditional groups are called 'old order'. They do
not permit electricity or telephones in their homes. By
restricting access to television, radio, and telephones, the
Amish are better able to keep the modern world from intruding
into their home life.

The Amish have long preferred farming as a way of life. They
feel their lifestyle and their families can best be maintained in a
rural environment. While they do not permit the use of tractors
in their fields, these old order Amish groups do use modern
farm equipment pulled by teams of horses or mules.

These old order groups do not own or operate automobiles,
believing that cars would provide easier access to the ways of
the world. You will often see their horses and buggies on our
local roads.

These traditional groups wear plain clothing styles,
which has earned them the name
"Plain People". It is the simple, peaceful
lifestyle of these plain people that
attracts such a curiosity today. Many
wonder how these people can survive in
their supposedly backward ways. Well,
they're not only surviving - they're
thriving. Since 1960, the Amish
population in Lancaster County has almost tripled.

Their separation from the rest of society actually helps to
strengthen their community. Amish children attend Amish
one-room schoolhouses through the eighth grade. Amish
worship services are held every other week in one of the
member's homes. Socializing is an important part of Amish life.

The Amish have a strong sense of community spirit, and often
come to the aid of those in need. Their barn raisings are a good
example. Neighbors freely give of their time and their skills to
help one another.

The Amish are generally private
people and often find all the attention
and curiosity about their lifestyle
disturbing. They believe that the
taking of photographs where someone
is recognizable is forbidden by the
Biblical prohibition against making any 'graven image'. Please
respect their desire for privacy when visiting here.

With our society's current interest in restoring 'family values',
much can be learned from studying the Amish way of life. Their
devotion to family and community and their strong work ethic
are good examples for our larger society.

We invite you to learn more about the Amish and their culture:

Read more about the Amish People and their lifestyle.
Read about the history of the Amish and the
Mennonites. Read about the faith of the
Amish. Read about Amish One-Room
Schools. Read about the tragic Amish
School Shooting in October 2006.
Read about Amish weddings.
Read the answers to other Frequently Asked
Questions about the Amish.

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Origins of the Old Order Amish

The Amish, called "The Plain People" or Old Order Amish,
originated in Switzerland about l525. They came from a division
of the Mennonites or Anabaptists (Re-baptizers). They opposed
the union of church and state and infant baptism. They baptized
people only as adults at about age l8. Adult baptism was a crime
in the l6th century. Therefore, the Amish come from an
impressive list of martyrs. They were put in sacks and thrown
into rivers in Europe.

There are no Amish left in Europe;
The Amish were saved from extinction
by William Penn who granted a haven
from religious persecution in America.
Since early colonial days the Amish
have lived in the United States
preserving their distinctive culture,
dress, language and religion
in peace and prosperity.

A few years ago they were again accused of crimes -- failing to
have their children attend school with state certified teachers or
failure to send them beyond the eighth grade. Until the United
States Supreme Court in the case of Wisconsin vs. Yoder ruled
in l972 that it was unconstitutional to force Amish into high
school. The decision was based on the Constitutional legal
issues of Parental Rights and Religious Freedom. Since the
Amish believe in "turning the other cheek" and do not defend
themselves, the National Committee for Amish Religious
Freedom and its attorney William B. Ball of Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania, defended them in court.

It may seem strange that failing to send children to school past
the eighth grade would be a permitted or acceptable practice.
But the Amish society is itself a school. They train their young
people vocationally -- how to be homemakers and
farmers, carpenters, and tradesmen from very early
ages. By the time an Amish girl is twelve years old she
knows how to cook a meal for a whole crew of Amish
workers, and a young man knows farm operations by the
time he is a teenager.

The Amish therefore have practically no unemployment, since
their society is a vocational school. The Amish operate
one-room parochial schools and are taught by teachers with
only an eight-grade education. However, the teachers have
learned how to be teachers with on the job training by an older
and experienced Amish teacher. The Amish pupils have been
tested with standardized tests by the
U.S. Office of Education, and the pupils usually
perform above the norms when compared to
public schools pupils in their communities.
The students are not therefore educationally
deprived. Furthermore, it is difficult, if not
impossible, for a non-Amish teacher to teach
the values of humility, quietness, and
shunning of technological things like
automobiles, television, video games, movies
and fashions. Some people think the Amish
are ignorant because they shun technology, but the Amish
are also making profound statements about the environment.
They do not use gasoline, electricity, commercial chemicals,
CFCs -- all of which pollute the environment.

The Amish live in nineteen states, Canada, and Central America.
However, 80 percent of the Amish live in Pennsylvania, Ohio
and Indiana. The Old Order Amish take their name from an early
Swiss Anabaptist, Jacob Amman, who became their strict
Bishop and taught them the Amish ethics -- Living non-resistant
lives (They do not serve in the military, but only in hospitals or
alternate service), with brotherly love, sharing material aid and
living close to the soil and following the Bible literally. They cite
the Bible which says, "Be ye not conformed to the world" as
their chief tenet.

To this day they endure as a distinctive folk group because they
have preserved a mentality of separation from the world and
the sentiments of persecuted strangers in the land. They wear
plain clothing fastened with hooks and eyes, not buttons. Their
men wear broad-brimmed black hats, plain-cut trousers and the
women and even little girls wear bonnets and ankle length
dresses. They generally oppose automobiles, electricity,
telephones and higher education beyond eighth grade.

Their congregations number only about 300. They worship in
homes and not in church buildings. They do not drive cars or
ride in airplanes, but drive horses and buggies. This keeps their
communities small and close-knit, and their children do not live
all over the world. Family values are important to them. They
are slow to change and speak the German language along with
English. They drive horses and buggies for transportation. They
practice "shunning" for any of their members who break their
rules.

Although many people do not understand their simple way of
life, the Amish are maintaining a very profound position. They
want to be prepared for the world to come rather than for
becoming rich or famous in this world. They would rather
maintain a close-knit family life than travel all over. The norms
and educational goals of our society which stress product
centered, high pressure, technological and secular values are
antithetical to Amish beliefs. Therefore, they practice old ways,
slowness of pace, simplicity, close-knit agrarian living. The
80,000 Old Order Amish oppose higher education because it
violates their morals, their religious convictions and takes their
children away from the simple ways of the Amish.

The Amish People & Their Lifestyle

Old Order Amish women and girls wear modest dresses made
from solid-colored fabric with long sleeves and a full skirt (not
shorter than half-way between knee and floor). These dresses
are covered with a cape and apron and are fastened with
straight pins or snaps. They never cut their hair, which
they wear in a bun on the back of the head. On their
heads they wear a white prayer covering if they are
married and a black one if they are single. Amish women
do not wear jewelry.

Men and boys wear dark-colored suits, straight-cut coats
without lapels, broadfall trousers, suspenders,
solid-colored shirts, black socks and shoes, and black
or straw broad-brimmed hats. Their shirts fasten with
conventional buttons, but their suit coats and vests
fasten with hooks and eyes. They do not have mustaches,
but they grow beards after they marry.

The Amish feel these distinctive clothes encourage humility
and separation from the world. Their clothing is not a costume;
it is an expression of their faith.

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The following answers to questions we received as part of our
"Ask the Amish" feature were given by the resident experts at
the Mennonite Information Center in Lancaster:

"Why don't the Amish use electricity?"

"Amish people interpret linking with electrical wires as a
connection with the world - and the Bible tells them they are not
to be "conformed to the world." (Romans 12:2) In 1919 the
Amish leaders agreed that connecting to power lines would not
be in the best interest of the Amish community. They did not
make this decision because they thought electricity was evil in
itself, but because easy access to it could lead to many
temptations and the deterioration of church and family life.

Most of us today would think it impossible to live without the
modern conveniences such as electricity and cars. What makes
the Old Order Amish unique is not that they get along without
modernity, but that they choose to do without it when it would
be readily available. The Amish value simplicity and self-denial
over comfort, convenience and leisure. Their lifestyle is a
deliberate way of separating from the world and maintaining
self-sufficiency. (Amish are less threatened by power shortages
caused by storm, disaster, or war.) As a result there is a
bonding that unites the Amish community and protects it from
outside influences such as television, radios, and other
influences."

"The Amish do not use electricity or modern conveniences, yet
they have this website. How can that be?"

"This website is not maintained or created by the Amish
themselves. However, those involved in this website are
directly in contact with the Amish and Mennonites either by
friendship, association, or business relationships. This website,
and the "Ask The Amish" feature especially, has been created
in an effort to pass along the truth about the Amish and their
chosen lifestyle. There is much misinformation about these
fascinating people, even here in the heart of the so-called
'Amish Country', and one goal of this service is to dismiss that
misinformation, and pass along the truth. We are not here to
make money off the Amish, or to exploit them in any way. Many
local Amish people have seen this website, and have
expressed their appreciation for our efforts. Several local Amish
businesses have also joined this website as participating
advertisers."

"Why do Amish men have beards, but not mustaches?"

"There are quite a few scripture that mention beards in the
Bible. An example would be Psalm 133:1,2. An Amishman does
not shave his beard after he becomes married; a long beard is
the mark of an adult Amishman. Mustaches, on the other hand,
have a long history of being associated with the military, and
therefore are forbidden among the Amish people."

"Do the Amish pay taxes?"

"Self-employed Amish do not pay Social Security tax. Those
employed by non-Amish employers do pay Social Security tax.
The Amish do pay real estate, state and federal income taxes,
county taxes, sales tax, etc.

The Amish do not collect Social Security benefits, nor would
they collect unemployment or welfare funds. Self sufficiency is
the Amish community's answer to government aid programs.
Section 310 of the Medicare section of the Social Security act
has a sub-section that permits individuals to apply for
exemption from the self-employment tax if he is a member of a
religious body that is conscientiously opposed to social
security benefits but that makes reasonable provision of taking
care of their own elderly or dependent members. The Amish
have a long history of taking care of their own members. They
do not have retirement communities or nursing homes; in most
cases, each family takes care of their own, and the Amish
community gives assistance as needed."

"What crops are grown on an Amish farm?"

"Main crops raised by Amish in Lancaster County, in order of
acreage, are corn, hay, wheat, tobacco, soybeans, barley,
potatoes, and other vegetables. Farmers also grow various
grasses for grazing. Corn, grain, and hay crops usually stay on
the farm for feeding livestock. Tobacco, potatoes, some grain
and hay plus vegetables are raised for marketing. Farming is
done with horsedrawn equipment with metal wheels (no rubber
tires)."

"What do the Amish think of tourists visiting their area?"

"Amish people want nothing more than to simply be left alone.
However, for the most part they have accepted the influx of
tourism as something they cannot change. So far as their
lifestyle, tourists have not changed the Amish. It is true that
some have moved away, partly because of tourism, but also
because of the high cost of land in Lancaster County. Others
have opened small shops and are now realizing profits from the
tourists."

"Why are all the buggies black?"

"Throughout the United States and in Canada not all buggies are
black. The similarity of Amish carriages in any given area allows
little for status, but speaks of all being equal. Therefore,
members of a particular group can be identified by the buggies
they drive. In Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, for example, there
are five distinct groups of Old Order Amish living in the
Kishacoquillas Valley. The two most conservative groups drive
white-topped buggies, another has yellow tops, and two others
use black buggies. Here in Lancaster County, the Old Order
Amish drive gray buggies and the Old Order Mennonites drive
black buggies."

"How does a barn raising work?"

"A barn-raising is indeed a community endeavor for the Amish.
At daybreak, the Amish buggies arrive at the farm where the
barn is to be erected. An experienced Amish
carpenter/contractor is in charge and men are assigned to
various areas of work. Often the framing is completed before
the noon meal and in the afternoon the roofing is installed.
Meanwhile the women are preparing a delicious noon meal,
sometimes served outdoors. There is always prayer before a
meal is served. The children play games and are available to
run errands. But they also have a most exciting day as
spectators at a truly amazing project of brotherly love---building
a barn in one day."

"What language do the Amish speak?"

"In their homes and in conversations with each other, the Old
Order Amish speak Pennsylvania Dutch, which is a dialect of
German. We understand that it is similar to "Platt" that is
spoken in parts of northern Germany. When children go to
school they learn English. In their worship services the
sermons are given in High German. The German language,
"Deitch", is also taught in Amish schools."

"Why do Amish men wear black hats?"

"Here in Lancaster County, the Amish men wear
broad-brimmed hats of black felt. The width of the brim and hat
band and the height and shape of the crown are variables which
gauge the orthodoxy of the group and individual wearer. A wide
brim, low crown, and narrow hat band denotes the oldest and
most traditional style. Within church groups, one's age and
status is often reflected by the dimensions of one's hat. For
warm weather, straw hats are preferred by plain men."

"Do Amish families play games?"

"Yes, Amish families do play games and read together in the
evenings. Parents are involved in their children's activities.
However, there are not long evenings in an Amish family. When
the children get home from school, there are chores that must
be done. At an early age, children have responsibilities
assigned to them. After the evening meal, the school homework
must be tackled, and before long it is bedtime. Amish are early
risers and therefore go to bed early."

"Do the Amish still milk their cows by hand?"

"Very few Amish, if any, do their milking by hand. Today they
have modern milking equipment -- not electric, but operated by
alternate sources of power. In order to ship milk, the Amish
must have modern refrigerated milk tanks. They also have
modern barn-cleaning equipment. Children get involved in daily
chores at a very early age -- even before they start school.
However, the chores are suited to the age of the child."

"What holidays do you ceIebrate and why?"

"Holidays observed by the Amish are the religious holidays:
Thanksgiving, Christmas, Good Friday, Easter, Ascension Day,
Pentecost, and Whit Monday (the day after pentecost). The
reasons for these observances are to fast and meditate on
scriptures related to these days. We should also mention that
December 25 is a solemn celebration of Christ's birth and
"second Christmas" on December 26 is a time for visiting and
family dinners."

"Do the Amish use modern medicine and doctors?"

"Most Amish and Mennonite groups to not oppose modern
medicine. Their readiness to seek health services varies from
family to family. Nothing in the Amish understanding of the
Bible forbids them from using modern medical services,
including surgery, hospitalization, dental work, anesthesia,
blood transfusions, etc. They do believe, however, that good
health, both physical and mental, is a gift from God and requires
careful stewardship on the part of the individual. With few
exceptions, physicians rate the Amish as desirable patients:
they are stable, appreciative, and their bills will be paid. They
do not have hospitalization insurance, but they band together to
help pay medical expenses for anyone of their group who
needs financial assistance. A designated leader in the Amish
community is given responsibility for their mutual aid fund."

"Do Amish women still use midwives for childbirth?"

"Some Amish women go to "English" doctors and have their
babies in local hospitals; others go to birthing centers; and
some choose to have midwives who will deliver the babies at
home. It is a matter of preference. We do not have statistics as
to how many midwives are in Lancaster County."

"What are common Amish names?"

"According to John A. Hostetler, author of Amish Society, the
most common family names among the Amish in Lancaster
county are: Stoltzfus, King, Fisher, Beiler, and Lapp. The most
common first names for males are: John, Amos, Samuel,
Daniel, and David. The most common first names for females
are: Mary, Rebecca, Sarah, Katie, and Annie."

"What are the differences between Amish and Mennonite
groups?"

"It is impossible to answer this question with a few simple
sentences. There are so many varieties of Mennonites and
Amish around the world that we cannot cover the many shades
of belief and practice among them. It is true that most
Mennonite and Amish groups have common historical roots.
Both were part of the early Anabaptist movement in Europe,
which took place at the time of the Reformation. A group led by
Jacob Amman broke from the Mennonites in 1693 and became
known as "Amish." Amish and Mennonites are Christian
fellowships; they stress that belief must result in practice. The
differences among the various Amish and Mennonite groups
through the years have almost always been ones of practice
rather than basic Christian doctrine."

"How do the Amish hold a funeral?"

"Here in Lancaster County, funeral and burial usually takes
place three days after death. A funeral director from the local
area assists in a minimal way, which usually includes
embalming, and sometimes includes supplying the coffin and
the hearse. In death, as in life the simplicity is evident. A plain
wooden coffin is built. Often it is six-sided with a split lie - the
upper part is hinged so it can be opened for viewing the body. It
is very simple - no ornate carving or fine fabrics. Traditionally a
woman will wear the white apron she wore on her wedding day.
In some Amish communities both men and women wear white
for burial. The tone of the two-hour Amish funeral service is
hopeful, yet full of admonition for the living. There are no
eulogies. Respect for the deceased is expressed, but not
praise. A hymn is spoken but not sung. There are no flowers.
The grave is hand dug in an Amish church district cemetery.
There will be only a simple tombstone to mark the spot, much
like all the other tombstones in the cemetery - in death as in
life, we are all equal and do not elevate one person above
another."

"Is it true that dolls for girls have no faces?"

"Our understanding is that years ago, most of the dolls for little
girls were rag dolls without faces. The Amish have retained this
custom. We believe the reason is similar to the refusal to have
pictures of people and is linked to the second commandment.
(Exodus 20:4-6) At an early age children are learning not to have
images, likenesses, idols."

"I have heard the Amish will place a small mistake or
imperfection in a quilt or other handmade item. Why is this
done?"

"We've heard that many years ago sometimes a scrap of fabric
that didn't quite match was used inconspicuously in a
patchwork quilt to give it "identity." We question whether this is
true. We don't know of any quilters who would do that today.
Amish quilts are all band quilted; stitches are very small and
uniform. But, no matter how hard one tries, the stitches are not
all identical and perfect. A quilt may have an imperfection, but it
wasn't on purpose."

"Do the Amish play any form of musical instrument?"

"No. Musical instruments are forbidden by the Old 0lder Amish
community. Playing an instrument would be "worldly." It is
contrary to the spirit of "Glassenheit" (humility), and would stir
up the emotions of those who are involved."

"I know that the Amish don't own automobiles, but in our area it
is common to see them riding in other peoples' vehicles. Some
even have made a business of offering rides, for a fee, to them.
If the Amish don't believe in owning automobiles, it seems
strange that they would ride in them. Seems inconsistent to me.
Why is this?"

"Maintaining Amish standards, but accepting some
modernization to meet needs of living, requires compromise
that must not disrupt the social structure. By rejecting certain
types of modernity and accepting others, some Amish appear
to the outside world to be contradicting themselves -
hypocrites. However, from the viewpoint of Amish culture,
there is no contradiction. One of the more pronounced
inconsistencies is the use of an automobile...although he may
not own a car, a member may accept rides and willingly hires
an automobile with a driver to transport him from place to place.
There was little hesitation when the Amish decided "no" to car
ownership. It would separate the community in various ways. If
only wealthy members could afford it, the car would bring
inequality. Proud individuals would use it to show off their
status, power and wealth. Cars would speed things up
dramatically, disrupting the slow pace of Amish living. So, they
will use them but not own them, for then things will surely get
out of control."

"Do the amish believe in gas power?"

"Yes, the Amish use gas. Bottled gas is used to operate water
heaters, modern stoves and refrigerators. Gas-pressured
lanterns and lamps are used to light homes, barns and.shops."

"Is it true the Amish are exempt from Medicare and Medicaid
withholding? What legal basis is used for this?"

"Medicare and Medicaid are a part of the Social Security
system. Old Order Amish believe that if the church is faithful to
its calling, many government programs and commercial
insurance are not needed. That conviction forced them to testify
before Congress because they did not want to receive Social
Security benefits. What they wanted instead was the right to
look after their own elderly. They were finally given approval, if
self-employed, to be exempt from paying the tax. Seldom do
Old Order Amish individuals accept Social Security, Medicare,
or Medicaid."

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Continued in "Amish History - 2"