The Amish

Lesson Plan - Get It!

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The Amish are a traditional Christian cultural and religious group originating in Europe.

The Amish movement was founded by a Swiss German Anabaptist named Jacob Amman in the late 17th century. (Anabaptist means one who baptizes again and refers to their practice of baptizing adults even if they were baptized as infants.)

In the early 18th century, the Amish began immigrating to the USA in search of religious freedom and eventually settled in Pennsylvania.

Today, the largest Amish populations are in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is home to the largest community of Amish in the U.S., with over 36,000 people. Lancaster is also the best-known and most-visited Amish settlement in the world.

The Amish follow a set of unwritten rules, called the Ordnung , that guide their lives. These rules stem from the Bible and are important for upholding the community.

The Amish believe that without these rules, anyone would enter and leave the community as they please. The Ordnung forbids the following.

• public electric
• suing in a court of law
• owning certain technologies such as cars and televisions
• running for political office
• divorce

Based on this belief system, the Amish lifestyle is simple and traditional. Instead of driving cars, the Amish get around by horse and buggy. Their homes contain kerosene lamps or battery-powered lamps rather than electric lights.

The Amish dress code is defined as practical and functional.

Women usually wear a cape dress with an apron and a bonnet on their heads. Men wear a button-down collared shirt of a single color and rough trousers held up by suspenders. Children dress like their parents, without brand logos, sequins, or sparkles.

Most Amish live on farms, which provide the ideal setting for maintaining a simple lifestyle. In addition to farming, Amish women often make beautiful quilts, and men often go into furniture making.

Move on to the Got It? section to see inside an Amish house and school.