The Amish

The Amish

The Amish culture began in 1770 in Europe and immigrated to the United States in 1817, with the most important aspect of their way of life being their religion. The Amish religion defines who they are and why they choose to live apart from the dominant culture in society as we know it. The Amish separate themselves from an every day natural culture that most Americans find strange such as, they do not vote and they do not believe in having phones within their residences. The Amish people have not changed their way of life too much in the recent years from what they've always been used to. Their religious values, controlling use of technologies, sustaining gender roles and family, education, work life, and resistance to cultural change remain as their fundamental purpose in the way they have chosen to live their every day lives.

In the Amish world, gender plays a huge role in what most would consider to be old fashioned.

Amish males have the right to investigate what's outside of the Amish way of life and decide if that's what they choose for themselves and their families, however the women do not have this right. The Amish males only marry Amish females and it’s a requirement to join the church and live the Amish life first. It’s natural for the Amish women to run the household leaving the man of the house with the final say.

Education within the Amish world is extremely different then American main stream. They are taught spelling, German, English, Math, health, and geography in small private schools and the Amish believe that anything past an eighth grade education isn't necessary because furthering ones education past that would promote superiority which is not allowed in the Amish community.

Idleness and laziness are considered to be traits of the "outside world" by the Amish, these traits are not permitted within the Amish way of life and they believe that this can be avoided by staying busy.

The Amish work in groups mainly with family and believe that by working together and involving the entire family it promotes community togetherness. Many of the Amish make and sell their own hand made crafts to the English as a way of financially supporting themselves. Anyone not Amish is considered "English".

The language is different amongst the Amish people with the older Amish speaking Pennsylvania Dutch, which is a dialect of German. While their children are taught English and German in school and all sermons are spoken in German as well.

The Amish have successfully remained the same and resisted assimilation by strict guidelines and rules with their way of living. It is recognized that some Amish men have strayed from the Amish life to never return but to only later realize that the main stream culture and under education would leave them overwhelmed.

In the event an Amish male leaves the Amish parish, they would initially have to further their education to be able to survive in the 'outside world' and would not ever be welcomed back. The Amish do not believe in change, once an Amish man makes that decision to move on with his life in the outside world he is on his own forever and would even have to marry a woman that is not Amish as well. Change and individuality is not welcomed