Amish in the United States

Amish in the United States
Group	Amish
Population	~373,000 (2023)
Regions	Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, New York, Michigan, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois, Montana, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia
Languages	Pennsylvania German, English, German
Religions	Anabaptist Christianity
Founded	18th century

Amish in the United States

The Amish are a group of traditionalist Anabaptist Christian communities primarily located in the United States and smaller numbers in Canada. Originating from followers of Jakob Ammann in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, they migrated to North America during the 18th and 19th centuries, establishing settlements that persist in states such as Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. Their communities are notable for distinctive dress, plain Anabaptist lifestyle, and varying levels of engagement with modern technology.

History

Amish origins trace to the Swiss Brethren and the broader Anabaptist movement of the 16th century, including figures such as Menno Simons and groups like the Mennonites. The schism led by Jakob Ammann produced the Amish, who faced persecution in Switzerland, Alsace, and the Palatinate before migration to Pennsylvania under leaders linked to William Penn and settlers who joined migrations alongside Germantown communities. Early American settlements formed alongside Pennsylvania Dutch communities and interacted with Quakers, Reformed congregations, and other Protestant immigrants. Twentieth-century developments included internal schisms resulting in orders such as the Old Order Amish, Beachy Amish, and New Order Amish, as well as influential observers and chroniclers such as Henry H. Brinton and Don Yoder. Conflicts and legal cases involving religious liberty emerged in the 19th and 20th centuries, intersecting with decisions by bodies like the United States Supreme Court and statutes including state-level exemptions to compulsory school attendance. Migration patterns have also led to new settlements in western states influenced by land availability and interactions with groups such as Mennonites and Hutterites.

Demographics and Geographic Distribution

Amish population growth results from high birth rates and retention within communities; contemporary estimates derive from research by institutions like the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College and scholars such as Donald B. Kraybill, John A. Hostetler, and Steven Nolt. Major counties with dense settlements include Lancaster County (Lancaster County, Pennsylvania), Holmes County (Holmes County, Ohio), and LaGrange County (LaGrange County, Indiana). Other significant settlements exist in Smyth County, Virginia, Titus County, Texas, Barton County, Missouri, and Sheridan County, Montana. Migration to states like Kentucky and Iowa reflects land pressures and internal division among orders, with communities maintaining ties to networks such as the Amish Mennonite Conference and informal affiliations recognized by publications like The Budget and Mennonite World Review.

Beliefs, Practices, and Ordnung

Core Amish theology derives from Anabaptist convictions emphasizing believer’s baptism, nonresistance, and church discipline seen in ordinances administered by ministers and bishops patterned after early Anabaptist practice. The unwritten Ordnung governs dress codes, carriage and vehicle use, technology rules, and social obligations; its application varies between Old Order Amish, New Order Amish, and Beachy Amish. Rituals include head coverings for women linked to teachings of the Apostle Paul found in scriptures such as the New Testament, while practices like nonconformity align with writings of reformers like Menno Simons. Community discipline can include shunning (Meidung) enforced as in other Anabaptist groups like some Mennonite congregations. Religious life centers on home-based worship services akin to those described by scholars such as John A. Hostetler and observed by journalists from outlets like The New York Times and The Washington Post.

Language and Education

Languages in Amish communities include Pennsylvania German (also called Pennsylvania Dutch), forms of Standard German used in liturgy, and English for commerce and external relations; linguistic studies have been conducted by academics such as Michael D. Clyne and institutions like University of Pennsylvania. Amish education historically relied on one-room schoolhouses staffed by community teachers; cases such as Wisconsin v. Yoder before the United States Supreme Court affirmed limited exemptions from state compulsory education laws for Amish parents, affecting pedagogy and legal frameworks. Educational materials and curricula are tailored to vocational emphasis, and higher education is generally uncommon, though some Amish individuals engage with institutions like Lancaster Bible College or vocational programs in partnership with local technical schools.

Economy and Occupations

Traditional Amish occupations include agriculture (dairy, crop farming), craftsmanship (furniture making in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania), and trades such as blacksmithing, carpentry, and quilting; notable commercial enterprises include furniture firms in Elkhart County, Indiana and produce markets in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Economic adaptation has led to small manufacturing, construction companies, and tourism enterprises; interactions with markets involve businesses registered with state authorities like the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture or engage with trade associations including the National Association of Home Builders when relevant. Amish entrepreneurship appears in publishing (newspapers like The Budget), crafts sold through outlets in places such as Intercourse, Pennsylvania, and involvement in niche industries noted by economists such as Humphrey Taylor. Occupational shifts sometimes provoke internal debate about adherence to the Ordnung.

Interaction with Wider Society and Legal Issues

Amish relations with wider society encompass accommodation and conflict over matters such as transportation, schooling, land use, and health care. Legal milestones include Wisconsin v. Yoder, and legislative accommodations exist at state levels addressing exemptions for issues like child labor and schooling; advocacy and research organizations include the Amish Economic Development Fund and academic centers like the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies. Public health interactions involve negotiations over vaccination and emergency services with county health departments and entities such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Media coverage by outlets like National Public Radio, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal often shapes public perception, while local governments in counties from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania to Holmes County, Ohio manage zoning and traffic concerns related to horse-drawn conveyances. Court cases and scholarly work by individuals such as Donald B. Kraybill illuminate tensions over religious liberty balanced with state interests.

Culture, Arts, and Media Representation

Amish culture includes material arts like quilting traditions documented by museums such as the Smithsonian Institution and the National Quilt Museum, folk music and hymnody tied to Ausbund and Mennonite Hymnal traditions, and folkways studied by ethnographers like Donald B. Kraybill and Karen Johnson-Weiner. Artistic production ranges from furniture by makers in Elkhart County, Indiana to quilts from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania sold in galleries and craft fairs. Media representations appear in films like "Witness" (associated with Harrison Ford), documentaries by Ken Burns-style filmmakers, and television portrayals in series covered by networks including PBS and National Geographic. Scholarly analyses appear in journals such as the Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies and books by authors like Steven Nolt and Donald B. Kraybill, while controversies over portrayal have involved legal actions and responses from community spokespeople and organizations such as the Amish Aid Society.

Category:Anabaptist communities in the United States