...Amish people have been in America for many years. Amish people originally settled in Ohio and they began to spread across the country, spanning 30 different states (Discover Landcaster, 2015). Today most of the Amish population reside in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Indiana. Amish people have been in America for many years, and inhabit most of the country, but their way of life, their cultural values, and their religion is still a mystery to most Americans. The first Amish people arrived in America in the early 18th century to escape religious persecution in Europe and also to find fertile farm land (Holmes, p.g. 372). They first settled in eastern Pennsylvania, where a large portion still remains to this day (Amish, 2015). In the early 21st century...
Words: 745 - Pages: 3
...Amish People in America Onieca Baraka ANT 101 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology June 11th, 2012 Imagine living in house with no electricity, or not having the luxury of driving an automobile. Picture not being able to eat at fast food restaurants or shop at the mall. There are people in our nation who live like that every day. Amish people have been living in America since the early 1700’s. The Amish societies have grown tremendously, and continue to live by their own rules in an ever changing world. With all of the technology available today, Amish leaders choose not to indulge, but rather to live a simple life. Although there are some minor differences in Amish bands, Amish do not falter from their traditions or beliefs and rituals. In about 1730 the first Amish settlers arrived and settled in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The Amish were led by Jakob Anman in a split from the Mennonites over differences in beliefs. Since settling in Pennsylvania the Amish have split into several different groups and are settled in several different states. People of the Amish society are emerging agriculturalists. Their primary mode of subsistence is farming. For the most part Amish men and children work on the farm. Women take care of the home and help with barn chores if the family lives on a farm (Kraybill, 2001). Amish farms are not known to be big, but just enough to provide for the family. Amish are not allowed to run big farms in order to control power....
Words: 1172 - Pages: 5
...Amish Cultural Research Paper Amish Cultural Research Paper Imagine living in a society where the members socialize exclusively with each other and not with the outside world. The men of this society dress conservatively in dark colors sporting clean-shave until married when they switch to beards. The women, wearing only full skirts, wear their hair up in a bun and covered with a simple white cap or bonnet. The community, called an ordnung, decides how the community will be run from state to state. The culture itself keeps an arms distance from technology because they believe that it weakens the structure of the family. Planting and sowing of the fields is done by using horse drawn machinery and very rarely does the hum of anything fuel powered echo from the farms. Intermarriages are kept within the genetically isolated society to include first cousins and divorce is not tolerated. The Amish are a horticultural-based culture that consists of a society that is very conservative and strong on religion. The intent of this paper is to focus on the Amish culture, their primary mode of subsistence, and to identify three aspects of it impacted by this mode. History The Amish are a peace-loving, upright, religious group of people, settled happily in different parts of the United States and Canada. They disregard the modern way of life and are content to live their lives preparing for death and heavenly rewards by going without modern conveniences, such as electricity...
Words: 2281 - Pages: 10
...faith began immigrating to North America to escape persecution in Europe because of their Anabaptist beliefs. The Amish, whose name is derived from that of Jacob Amman, a Swiss-German Mennonite, are among the most easily recognizable microcultures in America (Shachtman, 2006). Amish customs like dressing in a different manner, adorning beards, restricting the use of electricity, and utilizing the horse and buggy instead of automobiles definitely makes a bold statement that the Amish culture is drastically different than the mainstream macroculture. The film, Devil’s Playground, documents the struggle that Amish youth face when deciding whether or not to join the Amish church. The documentary provides an in-depth look into a muted group microculture that embraces privacy and collectivism much tighter than that of the dominant group within the United States. Devil’s Playground is a documentary focusing on Amish youth and a tradition within the Amish community called rumspringa. The film follows several teens from LaGrange County, Indiana, as they experience rumspringa and debate whether or not to join the church and become Amish. 18-year-old Faron is...
Words: 1734 - Pages: 7
...The Amish People Theresa O’Donnell ANT101: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology Instructor: Geoff Wood May 16, 2012 The Amish People “The Amish people are an offshoot of the Mennonites, a religious group that was established in 1525, in Zurich, Switzerland” (Dana, 2007, p.1). These people came to America in 1683 in search of religious freedom and to escape European persecution. The Amish is named after Jakob Ammann, a man who “felt that the Mennonites were straying from a strictly religious background” (Dana, 2007, p.1). The Amish are quite simple people who choose not to let too much technology interfere with their lives, because they are afraid that if they become too modernized, their way of life will be destroyed. Therefore, they choose to remain focused on their families and their farms. In other words, “the Amish try to maintain cultural customs that preserve their identity” (Kraybill, 2000, para. 9), rather than stray away from their beliefs and values. The primary mode of subsistence for people of Amish descent comes from their farming, which is what makes them emerging agriculturalists. However, because of the world in which we live today, many Amish people have had to step outside the box and make slight adjustments to how they live in order to survive. This has an impact on many aspects of their life including their beliefs and values, their economic organizations, and their health care practices. Beliefs and Values One of the...
Words: 1936 - Pages: 8
...If you ever get a chance to visit Lancaster, Pennsylvania you may be surprised at the cultural change you will witness. The Amish community came to America and settled in Lancaster. This particular community of Amish, live a life of humility, equality, obedience, modesty and simplicity. This interesting group of people may shock the common American when they compare their lives to the Amish. When comparing the cultures of the Amish versus typical American, a person will find that the family life, language, and other aspects of this population can be so different from the latter. Throughout the Amish culture, family is a main part of their lifestyle. According to Towns and Heritage, “The family is the most important social unit among the Pennsylvania Amish” (Towns & Heritage, 2013). This stems from the family’s abundance in size. It is not unusual for a typical Amish family to have seven to ten children. This growth in family is what makes the Amish community as large as it is (Towns & Heritage, 2013). In addition to having many children, the Amish also has many generations living together under the same roof. This allows a “sense of continuity and participation in family life” (Towns & Heritage, 2013). When comparing this to a typical American family, it is easy to see the difference. According to Teachman, Tedrow, and Crowder, “America is made up of a multiplicity of family types including two-parent families, one-parent families, cohabitating couples, and gay and lesbian...
Words: 2481 - Pages: 10
...THE AMISH The Amish are a society in North America that follow a very strict interpretation of the bible, and are devout Christians. They seek to be more in tune with familial values and religion versus anything else. How they live is quite different from Western culture. Though the Amish are technically a part of Western society, the two cultures are quite diverse. They have chosen to forsake most modern conveniences for a more traditional way of life. Their primary mode of subsistence is horticulturalists and agriculturalists, because they live off of everything hand grown, whether livestock or vegetables. In this paper, we will explore the way of life for the Amish: beliefs and values, gender relation, and social organization. The Amish religion requires them to abide by the rules of their bible, just like many other religions follow the rules of their bibles as well. The Amish culture originated in the early 1600’s in Bern, Switzerland, and southwestern region of Germany. The word "Amish" comes from the name of the man who formed the sect Jakob Ammann. “Amman maintained a stricter interpretation of Anabaptist doctrine and advocated foot washing and Meidung or the strict social avoidance (shunning) of the excommunicated unfaithful. When other Anabaptist leaders refused to agree to the strict interpretation of the Miedung, Amman forced a split, in about 1693, which resulted in the creation of the Amish”(Byers, 2008). Members of the Amish sect migrated to Pennsylvania...
Words: 2392 - Pages: 10
...Rites of Passage – Amish and Jewish Cultures Student Name ANT 101: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology Instructor Date Rites of Passage – Amish and Jewish Cultures Many cultures in the world have traditional rites of passage that may seem strange to others. According to Crapo, rites of passages are “ceremonies… [undergone] whenever a member of society undergoes an important change in the status within the lifecycle of the group” (Crapo, 2013, p181). Rites of passage ceremonies are powerful and moving in beliefs that bring each person into his or her own path in life. Both Amish and Jewish cultures hold strong traditional and religious beliefs that are incorporated into every day activities. Traditional rites of passage can be special moments in any individual’s lifecycle, particularly when puberty or adulthood rituals occur. For many centuries the Amish have largely remained separated from the English. The Amish community refers to anyone outside of the Amish culture as English. Most Amish communities do not rely on the use of electricity, television, motorized vehicles and tractors. Women and men in the Amish culture live their lives with humility and submission to God, as well as, their parents and to the community and control their desires and reject luxurious and worldly pleasures (Films Media Group, 2005). The Amish do not believe in baptizing the younger individuals in the community. Rather they believe in allowing the young the opportunity to make...
Words: 1785 - Pages: 8
...Introduction: In America, the Amish religion began in the early 1700s--its small following has been growing in America ever since. Scientology has roots in the 1950s, and has significantly grown in popularity due to endorsements from very influential celebrity followers. The Branch Davidian once held a considerable following; however, in 1993, that came to a fiery end. In the United States, there is a growing interest in smaller religious groups; groups, that when looked further into, are at the center of much adversity. With growing popularity, juxtaposed with growing controversy, what is it that compels society to join these almost secular groups, instead of the traditional ideologies the nation was founded upon? At the arrival of this...
Words: 1510 - Pages: 7
...Amish in a Modern World Debra Galton ANT 101 Lucy Lee Brown March 5, 2012 Amish in a Modern World The Amish people are a private people who have found a way to survive in the modern day. The Amish culture is a closely knit community. Their farming and trade skills help to provide for their families and give back to their community. They do not let the outside world influence how they dress, educate or practice religion. Their beliefs and values have remained strong. The Amish have been in America for over two centuries. They have retained their own language as well as culture. The Amish do not depend on modern technology to plant and harvest crops. They remain an “agriculturally-oriented people, who foster large families and seek self-sufficiency.” (O’Neil, 1997, para 12) Their culture frowns upon the use of machinery for farming as well as for transportation. They depend on their knowledge of the land as well as each other to get the job done. The families work long hours planting, maintaining and harvesting their crops during planting season with the use of their horses and horse drawn plows. “During crop planting and harvest seasons, all family members help in the fields.” (Ennis, 2010, para 6). Everyone does their fair share of work as a family and even as a community. Social gatherings are also an important part of the Amish community. “Cornhusking parties and Sunday evening barn singing with square dancing” entertain both the young and old....
Words: 2333 - Pages: 10
...‘Witness’ is an American thriller film directed by Peter Weir. The film focuses on the comparison of modern American society and the values of the idyllic Amish community. Weir creates a theme of ‘conflict in cultures’ through the sub-themes of violence and forbidden love. The purpose of creating the theme of ‘conflicting cultures’ is to make the audience aware of how impure the modern society has become. The director uses violence to show significant contrast between the modern western world and the Amish world. During the murder scene at the train station, Samuel, a young Amish boy witnesses the murder of a police officer. The close up shot of Samuel’s eyes is juxtaposed with violent sounds of grunts and thuds. This is an unnatural scene to Samuel, as he comes from such a peaceful place that does not even have a television to see any kind of violence. This scene emphasizes the differing cultures of the Amish and modern America. To further display this, Weir visually implies that the modern American society is corrupt, violent and seedy by filming scene in darkness or in cramped spaces with artificial lighting. The scene at the Happy Valley nightclub, Book grabs a suspect from inside and drags him outside to slam him into the car. Samuel and his mother Rachel sit and watch in a light blue car, which represents their innocence during the situation and contrasts with the darkness around them. The car is owned by Book, symbolizing that Book is a good and moral man at heart....
Words: 552 - Pages: 3
...the Amish culture. A few details regarding the background of the Amish culture is they are most concentrated in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Indiana with 273,700 adults and children and nearly 350 settlements in thirty states of the USA and in Ontario (Kuhnova, 2012) The Amish culture tries to live in nonconformity to the world. This is demonstrated by their dialect, their plain clothing, transportation of horse and buggy, and their housing, functioning to the outside world as distinction and to the inside community as confirmation of a shared identity (Kuhnova, 2012). This clothing style is uniform and leaves little room for individualism, although small differences are perceptible in sewing and cloths. Where for non-Amish this might sound like a limitation of freedom. They fear that owning a car leads to individualism, distinction, social inequality, and too much personal freedom (Vonk, 2012). The above behavior choices of the Amish cultural emphasize togetherness and reinforce group cohesion. According to Vonk (2011), “The community and its welfare are ranked above personal freedom and individual rights, what contradicts modern values such as individualism and self-expression the Amish receive a durable and visible ethnic identity” (pg. 68). The traditional community is quite separate from the outside world, with strong social capital, is known for keeping and sustaining their faith, identity, important beliefs, values, and communal behavior choices (Vonk, 2011). The Amish would...
Words: 6358 - Pages: 26
...The Amish Instructor Bruce Carruthers ANT 101 Cultural Anthropology Aug 6, 2012 Outline I. Introduction II. History of the Amish a. School b. Church c. Rumspringa III. Social organization d. Children e. Teenage years f. Church membership IV. Beliefs and values g. Church h. Chores i. Socialization V. Kinship j. Nuclear family k. Bands l. Large families VI. Conclusion m. Summary n. Amish throughout time The Amish live a very interesting life involving very hard work and strict religious beliefs. In this essay I will first tell you about the history of the Amish, how they became the Amish we know today, and then tell you what a day in the life of an Amish person is like. I will tell you about their education, church, and the teenage Rumspringa. I will also tell you about how the Amish spend their childhood years, teenage years and when they become an official member of the church. The next subject I will cover is beliefs and values. This will then lead me into telling you about kinship. The Amish get there name from Jakob Ammann, who believed in stronger ties to the church and faster shunning in those not using the church with everyday life. The Amish also known as plane people began to come to America in the eighteenth century. Most Amish settled in Berks County...
Words: 2351 - Pages: 10
...It is evident that religion is important to the Amish through their way of living and the way they dress. During a church service, men and women are separated, but both are sitting through a three or more hour plus service in connecting rooms. The parents set an example for the children on how to practice their faith. Every other Sunday, the Amish would go from one house to another for church. The families attend Sunday School, where there are taught about their religion. (amishnews). The Amish practice foot washing. Religious services were in High German, and Pennsylvanian Dutch. The Old Order of Amish would speak Pennsylvania Dutch. It is a dialect of German, also known as “Platt.” Musical instruments were not allowed in church...
Words: 1320 - Pages: 6
...Running head: AMISH COMMUNITY 1 Amish Community Jennie Ong AMISH COMMUNITY 2 Abstract The Amish people are a community of individuals who hold their traditions of simple living, self-labor, and isolation very highly. Eastern parts of the United States as well as Canada are the most common areas where Amish communities are established. The group originated from Switzerland and received their name from their leader Jakob Ammann who, during the 18th century, led their immigration to Pennsylvania. Despite their customary values of seclusion, the Amish still experience the equal degrees of obstacles as any other organization may face. The Amish do not have the merchandises or products of the mainstream society, but they still remain successful in preserving their culture and beliefs by continuing to live with their traditional ways. AMISH COMMUNITY 3 Amish Community In the Western parts of the United States, it is uncommon to come across a person following the Amish culture but in most parts of Eastern America such as Pennsylvania Indiana, or even Canada, it is a norm. The Amish or Amish Mennonites are a group of Anabaptist Christians known for their simplistic living, old-fashioned clothing, and their opposition to modernization such as the use of electric appliances. Also known as “The Plain People” or Old Order Amish, they originated in Switzerland...
Words: 1559 - Pages: 7
