Amish

Amish

The Amish culture can trace their roots back to the Anabaptist movement in Switzerland in 1525 at the time of the Protestant Reformation. The Anabaptistvice had a strong sense for voluntary adult baptism and a church that was free from state control.  Their first leader was Jakob Ammann which is when they became known as the Amish.

Environment: The Amish community is often used as a synonym for an Amish settlement which is the geographical location where a group of Amish live. In Holmes County, Ohio the settlement consists of 4 main groups and nearly a dozen different “tribes” if each group was broken down within each other. Amish community can be used to refer a group of Amish people which are located at a particular place. Pennsylvania is a home to over 50 settlements all over the state.  During the time of 1992 and 2008, the Amish established 184 new settlements and moved in to six states.  Canadian province of Ontario, Ohio has the largest population of 55,000 followed by Pennsylvania 51,000 and Indiana with 38,000 people. The largest Amish settlements are in Holmes County in central Ohio, Lancaster County in south-central Pennsylvania, and Elkhart and LaGrange counties in northeast Indiana. There are also Amish west of the Mississippi River in Missouri, Iowa, Southeast Minnesota and 10,000 Old Order Amish in West Central Wisconsin.  The Amish are sealed off from modern culture by their religion.

Adapations: Because of the fast rapid population growth that happen in Amish communities which can be up to seven children per family which is a physical adaptations because they have to learn how to adapt to having so many children per family.

 The Amish have very traditional family roles; the Amish population grows very rapidly. They have to own allot of land to be able to grow their food for all of their families. This can cause a hardship if they are in dry areas, or rainy areas.  When where they live is affecting their crops it can overall affect their health and them being able to survive.  The main crops raised by Amish are corn, hay, wheat, tobacco, soybeans, barley, potatoes, and other vegetables.  The farmers also grow different types of grasses for their animals to graze on. They use horses or mules to help them with farming and some Amish people do use some modern farming equipment.  You will see allot of horses in Amish communities because this is what they use for many things such as farming, and their transportation to other places within their communities.

The traditional subsistence pattern used is farming which is the occupation desired by most Amish. The Amish use the physical environment for farming to produce, consume and distribute food and water. All family members male or female are integrated into and agricultural way of life. The Amish keep their farms small enough to be handled by a family unit.  The family size farms are used to serve the meet of the needs of the community and not so much to be used to earn large profits.  A farm can average between 50 and 96 acres in Midwestern areas are where there are larger farms. The Amish choose to concentrate on raising livestock in few numbers and then growing a different variety of crops.  Amish eat food that are produced in their own gardens or farms they do not eat processed or store bought food. Homegrown vegetables and fruits play a very big role in their diet; they eat them fresh, can them, or freeze them.  Cabbage and potatoes are an important part of their diets they also eat vegetables such as peas, corn, zucchini, beets, beans and sauerkraut. They also eat allot of grain products such as bread, cornmeal, and oatmeal. Their main meals are usually a very large heavy meat dish, which can include things such as pork chops, ham, and roast beef. Dairy products such as eggs and cheese are important to them as well. That is why most Amish families have chickens all year round so that they can have fresh eggs daily. In the wintertime soups are their main meals.
 Some of their food might not be able to be farmed all year long so they freeze food so that they do not run out. Some of the farms also have dairies, and or fruit trees, and vineyards so that they always have a steady amount of food growing.  The work is divided by your gender male’s work on farms, and the women do the gardening at home children help with the gardening male or female and when they are old enough they work on the farms as well. There is no division with social class since all Amish families have their own farms to provided food for their families and to share with there communities. Most Amish diets may be high in sugar and high in carbohydrates, but Amish are less likely to have diabetes because they rarely become obese. Most Amish are doing hard labor most of their day whether they are at home or on their farms. They are on their feet more than half of the day burning of the saturated fats that they consume each meal. The Amish culture is not dependent upon and food item that is rare because they grow everything they need.

Economy: The Amish do produce a surplus in food items but that is when they do other ways of keeping the food until it is need. They might can it or freeze it. With some Amish not being able to afford the farmland they live on they have had to find ways to earn money. Amish people can make money by doing things such as farmed produce operations, mobile crews working in different types of developments and at home shops.   The might engage of trade from things they make such as crafts, bake goods, and even canned food items.  The Amish will share left over items of food with their community and grow enough to share. 

Subsistence: Amish feel their lifestyle and their families can best be maintained in a rural environment.  They more traditional groups are called old order and they do not permit electricity or phones in their homes. They feel that by restricting access to modern technogy such as radios, telephones, and televisions they are able to keep the modern world from intruding into their lives at home. 

   A cultural adaptation would have to be that almost all aspects of Amish life is decided and dictated by a list of written or oral rules know to them as the Ordnung which shows the outlines and the basics of the Amish faith and helps to define how and what it means to be Amish.  The Amish people are told almost every aspect of their lives. They have to culturally adapt to the way they have to dress, the way their hair looks and how long it is, the style of their buggy they drive and even are decided what farming techniques you will use. The Amish have to get culturally adapted to having their lives planned out for them completely and how they have to act. The Ordnung varies from each community.  Physical adaptation is that the Amish truly believe that God is the ultimate healthier; some Amish might use modern medical services, but other turn to different forms of medical treatment. Within their geographical climates they have to adapt to the climate changes. When they get illnesses they use old folk remedies and drink herbal teas.  The Amish health habits are shaped by cultural factors and conservative rural values.

Language: The Amish speak the Pennsylvania German dialect which is also known as the Pennsylvania Dutch.  In a few communities they speak a Swiss dialect. In schools they might learn English which to them is there second language.  Very few of them can speak standard German but can speak English and dialect. Some Amish learn to read German scripts so that they can read and understand their religious books. The Amish people often refer to non-Amish people as “English” because they speak the English language.

There are only two specific genders the man and the women.  Major decisions are usually made jointly between the husband and wife.  Amish men and women assume traditional and well-defined gender roles. Amish are rural people with large families. 

 Marriage: Gender Roles: Most Amish people marry young, and do not use any form of birth control it would not be uncommon for an Amish women to have more than 15 children.  Gender roles are very strong in the Amish culture; the men are the head of the household and are responsible for the farming and building duties with in the homes and community. The husband has the final say in spiritual and societal matters. At family meals the husband sits at the head of the table. The women and children are the ones who take care of the home and their family garden. Amish women are expected to marry and have children and submit to their husbands will. They do not believe in divorce. The wife has tasks such as cooking, cleaning, sewing, gardening and keeping up the welfare of the family. It was said that only 3 percent of Amish women have a job outside of their household.  Young children are defined by the roll they can fill as a working member within a community. The birth announcements which are from Amish paper illustrate the rolls of children from the day they are born. Such as “Born to Brother Mennos a little dishwasher name Katie” or “Enos Ys are the parents of a little woodchopper born last week”  (Kraybill & Olshan,220). With being determined what your role is since the day the child was born determines their roles as they grow up to be an adult.   

 The Amish people take care of their own elderly family members and they are very active within their family unit.  If they do not have room in their home the husbands will build an addition to their homes so that there elderly parents can live with them. Children are expected to be respectful, disciplined, honest, and must at all times obey and honor their elders at all times.  Biology on whether you are a male or female defines your gender roles since the day you are born. You do not have a choice on what you want to be or how you want to act it all depends on the sex of you.  I do not think she would be accepted in the Amish culture, because their gender roles are so strict and everything they do is taught by them from different generations before them all based on their gender.

Marriage: The marriage pattern for the Amish is monogamous, and they are not allowed to get a divorce.  They might not marry someone they think is related but due to them all staying with in one community of people and not going to the “outside” world there is a chance that somehow a married couple could be related.  Rumspring which means running or jumping around is the term in the Amish community for adolescence. This is a time where rules may be less strict and misbehaving might not be punished. At the end of the Rumspring the young adults are expected to find a spouse and be baptized.  Amish practice endogamy by marrying within their social group and one who is affiliated with the church this encourages the Amish to stay together and not branch out to the outside world.  The Amish do not believe in homosexual relationships. They are not allowed to join the church and have to leave there congregation which could even lead to them being shunned.

Kinship: Amish marriages occur in a large kin group. The Amish go through three stages of childhood, the little people, scholars and the young people. The little people are below school age, scholars are people who are in school, and the young people are people who are 15 years and older.  For the Amish age becomes social power, wisdom to them is based on age and experience not about education.  Most Amish are married between the age of 22 and 25 and are married on a Tuesday or a Thursday. Marriages usually take place in their home and there honeymoon is spent at the brides moms house where in the morning they wake up and help clean. Amish do not believe in birth control. Men are seen as the head of the household and the person in charge and is treated with more respect that his wife. The husband controls her money which is spent on house items and clothing only when needed. Parents are to teach children what is right and wrong because they do not believe that children not the difference until they are taught.  The inheritance is passed down from generation to generation the children inherited the farm and anything else the family owns.  Children usually have their father’s surnames and their middle names are often their mother’s maiden name.

 Amish culture is based on Christian egalitarian, with views that hold that the Bible teaches the fundamental equality of women and men of all racial and ethnic mixes, economics classes and even age groups.  All individuals within the community do have equal status and social power. The men are the head of household but even the women have power and make decisions with their husband.

Social and Political Organization: The Amish do not depend upon any political powers; they give up their special political rights because they are members of a self-governing group.  The Ordnung meaning order consists of specific rules and laws which are usually unwritten that are passed down each generation by practice and oral tradition. The rules and laws apply the biblical principle of seperation from the world regarding issues such as clothing, use of media, technology, and even leisure activities. To them these rules and regulations prescribe appropriate behavior within their communities. For example Old Order Amish are not allowed to own an automobile and are not allowed to own any new world technology.  A law is that married men are to grow a beard and not a mustache and to wear an Amish hat and vest. A married woman is expected to wear something that covers their heads, and a dress, cape, and apron.  To them this rule is very important because it is a symbol of group identity. Members of the community agree to obey the Ordnung at the time of their baptism and know that they will be subject to church discipline and even excommunication and shunning if they break these vows within their community. The Church leaders might update their laws and regulations as new issues come up and they might get input from district members.  To the Amish they have learned to live with the rules of the Ordnung and to them they believe without regulations there will be no happiness. To them life without limits leads to individuals becoming arrogant, conceited, and self-destructive.  Having an Ordnung to them brings a respect to their community, a sense of belonging, and shapes everyone’s identity which is their three important factors to human satisfaction and happiness. 

Crime: Violence that has happened in the Amish community has been sexual abuse of children. With the Amish living in a community where they do not communicate with anyone outside, or having any form of technology sexual abuse has been less often reported to law. People who are abused and or mistreated have little resources and if they were to seek help outside they might be shunned for breaking there rules.  There have been a few cases broadcasted on the television and it has brought a negative view t on how some people think the Amish live. Thinking its ok to abuse people and knowing they have really no one to help them.  Some Amish teenagers rebel against their parents, the church and even the law by doing things such as going to the outside of their community and using technology and discipline themselves around. I think that this brings a negative outlook on their culture because her we read and hear how they live and then you see some Amish doing the complete opposite of what we are taught and told about the Amish.

Belief Systems: The Amish practice Christian beliefs as their religion they have been shaped by the interpretation of the Bible. The Bible, German Bible, Martyrs Mirror, the Ausbund, and the Dorrecht Confession of Faith are the key sources to their beliefs. Christianity is a very large branch of religion that many people not just the Amish practice as their religion.  The religion of Christians is monotheistic and the deity is identified as three persons in one God, as the father, son and Holy Spirit.  The Amish roots go back to the time of the Protestant Reformation in the 16^th century Europe. Their religious ancestors were called Anabaptists because they baptized adults who had already been baptized as a child.  Jakob Ammann became the leader in the Swiss Anabaptist church where he sought out to revitalize the Anabaptist movement. 

The two most important religious rituals in the Amish lifestyle are baptism and communion.  The people in the Amish community who take the baptismal vow commit to following the ways of Jesus and following the Ordnung as the church of life. This is a lifelong vow that they will promise before God and the other members of the community that they will be accountable to the church for the rest of their lives.  Communion services are held twice a year in the Amish community during autumn and spring this is what frames their religious year. To them these two Communions emphasize self- examination and spiritual rejuvenation.  During communions is the only time offerings are gathered in the Amish services.  Communion is an eight hour service which has a light meal during the service, and they have bread and wine. The pairs of the members wash each other’s feet as the congregation sings.  Religion to the Amish community is everything to them. Without religion they would not function they base everything on their lives off of their religion.

Art: Amish believe that pride of art is a sin, so to them art should be a way for them to express themselves and not do it to show off or to make art for pleasure it usually has a value behind it. Amish quilts are important to them and it is a way for them to express themselves.  They use specific types of colors to portray a symbolic message of nature like using blue for the sky, and green for the grass.  They also might make things such as needle craft, towels which also contain themes of nature with pictures such as flowers, doves, hearts and trees. 

Music in the churches of the Amish people which for some communities might mean in people’s homes is a big part of their lives. Some songs sung during church can be up to 15 minutes long and they sing these songs in German. Singing in German without any rhythm or instruments and are all sung by memory brings the community together in worship.  They have a specific song called Loblied that is always the second song sung at church and can also be sung at weddings. Singing can be related to young people who are growing up getting ready to be at marriage age, and the singing is usually held in bars on Sunday evenings after a church service. During each break between songs the young marriage age male or females are encouraged to talk amongst themselves and socialize.  Some Amish who do play or own a musical instrument are not allowed to be played in public.  Amish adults do not dance, the only time you see dancing is during a young adult’s time of Rumspringa.

                                        Culture:  Amish culture has been very resilient to culture change. They are affected by other cultures in regards to things such as land becoming more expensive causing some to have to reach out in the outside world and get jobs to support their families. They are able to maintain themselves as their own distinctive culture by carefully negotiating between there beliefs, traditions and the modern society. They face many challenges but they are able to overcome them as a community by focusing on their culture and religion.  I consider the Amish culture to be thriving because they have had to find ways to make money but still keep their heads up and keep their faith strong. They don’t give up just because hard ships arise.  The Amish choose to stay out of the modern world but aren’t opposed to change if it is something that will keep their lives simple and their families and communities together. They are able to be happy and live without the modern world interfering with their lives. The Amish culture has come so far in history and it is a culture that will not die out, it is something that people believe strongly in and will contuine to practice there ways of lives and pass on there cultures to other generations in there families. 

http://www2.etown.edu/amishstudies/Deviance.asp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amish

http://pittsburgh.about.com/cs/pennsylvania/a/amish.htm

Amish-Heartland.com