Cultural Overview: The Amish

The Amish is a group of traditionalist Christians that rely on simple living, plain dress and refuse to adapt to modern technology. The history of the Amish started in Switzerland in 1693 led by Jakob Amman. Today majority of the traditional descendants of the Amish live in Pennsylvania and Ohio.

It’s very easy to find the differences between Amish and American societies and even though it may not seem like it at first glance there are some similarities between the two. Such as religion, yes America has a diverse set of religion, but both societies believe the right to religious freedom. That is why Amish societies are located in America because they are allowed to express their religion. Another similarity in both societies is education. Even though Amish children mostly only go to an eighth grade education, both societies prepare the children for adulthood and teach them skills that will help them in society.

Perhaps the most culturally diverse nation on the globe, the United States is home to a dominant Anglo-American Protestant culture intermixed and alongside a host of sub-cultures that live and thrive on US soil. Among these cultures exists an array of distinct form of living all who boast an identity specific to only that select group. These subcultures exist in a couple different forms; convergent subcultures and persistent subcultures. First, convergent subcultures intend toward assimilation with the dominant society through various tactics to include: residential clustering, adherence to the language, dress, and cultural norms of their native land (Parrillo, 42). Contrarily, some cultures simply do not assimilate. In these cases, persistent subcultures adhere as much as possible to their own way of life and resist absorption into the dominant culture (Parrillo, 43). Among these persistent subcultures within the US are the Amish. The Amish are a sect of the Christian faith whose members have roots in twenty-two states across the

Amish culture has been an attention grabbing field of study for many anthropologists. Currently, there population is only present in United States due to various historical events. Although Amish community has been living in United States for a considerably long time now which comprises of centuries but despite all the cultural influences from external forces, this community has successfully managed to retain its original character and essence. Where other communities have showed adaptation to sociological and cultural changes, Amish culture is present in its original form because of their closed social system. Their main mode of subsistence of Horticulture. Although this mode is considered to be a derivative of their way of obtaining financial independence but in reality this mode of living defines their Beliefs and values, Economic organization, Gender relations, Kinship Political organization and Social organization.

Our nation’s history has been deep rooted in the conflict involving Native Americans, ever since the beginning of America and it is one hard to get rid of even as the days go by. The impact of colonialism can be seen in Native American communities even today, and it can only be understood through a cultural perspective once you experience it. Aaron Huey, who is a photographer, went to Pine Ridge reservation and it led him to document the poverty and issues that the Sioux Indians go through as a result of the United States government’s long term actions and policies against them. One must question all sources regarding these topics because there is a lot of biased and misinformation about Native American struggles, and sometimes schools do not thoroughly teach the truth so students can get an insight. There are also different sociological perspectives in this conflict, along with many differing opinions on how to approach the problem and deal with it. This is where ideas clash because people believe their views are right regarding how to handle it.

17. The religious sect that settled in Pennsylvania were the Christian sect who were called the Quakers. They believed in the equality of all men and women, nonviolence, and resistance to military service.

The relationship between mainstream society and the Amish society of a particular interest because the Amish lifestyle is not meant to be admired or praised. The American public thinks the Amish way of life is so interesting that it becomes irresistibly fascinating and fashionably old-fashioned. Mainstream American culture has adopted the “Say No” approach to the Amish way of life because most Americans will not be doing any back breaking work like farming, driving a buggy every day, or living a simply settled life. Americans pay taxes, social security, state and federal taxes, real estate, county taxes, sales tax, etc. On the other hand, Amish does pay the same taxes except for social security. If the Amish is self-employed, they do not pay

The Amish people are a subculture group. This culture is one of the more distinctive and colorful cultural groups across America. Their rejection of modern technology is what has kept them apart of the high tech culture. They start back in the sixteenth-century Europe when a rebaptism of adults was then a crime punishable by death. Anabaptists or rebaptizers were groups’ that threatened civil and religious authorities. The Swiss Anabaptists followed a Jesus life were they loved their enemies, forgiving insults, and turning the other cheek. While other groups we’re more into violence. The Amish came in 1693 when the Swiss and the South Germans Anabaptists split into two groups: Amish and Mennonites. Looking for political stability and religious freedom they moved to North America where they first settled in southern Pennsylvania then to Ohio, Indiana, and to other Midwestern states. Were they have been able to maintain a distinctive subculture. They try to maintain cultural customs to preserve their identity. Amish speak a dialect of German known as Pennsylvania German or Pennsylvania Dutch. This language is not a written language. Amish use the English when conversing with non-Amish individuals. When talking in Pennsylvania German to each other they tend to switch to English

The Amish and the State is wrote with the intent to identify the cultural values and social organizations of the Amish order along with how the traditional values of the Amish counteracted with the modernity of the state. This book covers the most prominent aspects of the Amish order dating all the way back to their very existence during the Radical Reformation in the sixteenth century. It entitles one to see and feel the persecution the Amish order has faced since 1525. Donald Kraybill believes that the Amish order, even though some individuals view their religious practices as being extremely impractical, is a major attribute toward the freedom

The Amish are one subculture that has certain beliefs that separate them from other Christian denominations. The Bible influences their idea of the way they should dress;Therefore they believe that modesty is humility and what they wear helps display their faith. Amish men and boys only wear dark solid color clothing with cut vest jackets. They do not wear belts, buttons, and jewelry because of its flashy appearance and boastfulness it displays. Females of the Amish community are to wear calf-length solid color dresses with either a black or white aprons. On their heads, they have to wear prayer caps.These prayer caps allow the women to pray whenever they want to, because they are not allowed to pray by men without it. Amish women are never to cut their hair and the Amish men do not grow their hair out; however,they can grow facial hair once they get married. There are many rules on what the Amish can and cannot wear . Modesty is great, however to that extent other Christians will disagree. Other Christians believe that no matter what you wear, God will not love you less.

Amish values are focused firstly around God, and then around their family, which are the same values many cultures around North America share. The children go to school until the eighth grade, but from a young age, children are taught to do chores around the farm and house. They do not go to school for many years, but their society teaches them about trades and other vocations that they will use to help the community (“Amish…”). After school hours, household chores must be done before dinner. Then homework is done, and if there is still time before bed, the family gathers to talk, read the bible, or play games.

The old order Amish worship in individual homes compared to the New Order Amish. Old Amish send their children to elementary school but do not believe in them attending high school. The Old Order Amish are descendants of the colonial Amish who came to Lancaster and Berks counties Pennsylvania from 1738 to 1756 from Switzerland, Palatinate, Waldeck, Hesse- Cassel, Alsace, Bavaria, and Montbeliard ("Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online," 2012).

Of course the Amish are very strict due to their values and mores, but they want all of their Amish to have the choice to choose to be Amish or not to Amish. So they have a time period in their life that is called rumspringa. It translates to run free and mess around. This is a good example of how the Amish are a subculture. The reason that is they don't try to stop their own people from seeing all views in life. In the Devil's Playground

‘Human Family’ and the Connections to White Settlers and the Native Americans Within the poem ‘Human Family’, Maya Angelou repeats a profound quote in the final three stanzas: “We are more alike, my friend, than we are unalike”. This is a wise observation, and can pertain to all the groups of humans that have passed or have yet to come.

Amish life is often looked at as plain or simple, but there is a lot more to Amish life than farming and dressing plain. In this paper you will find out some of the history between the Amish and other groups, along with some events that the Amish take part in. You will also learn how the Amish live their life without the modern conveniences you and I have.