Definition
Members of the religious group that descended from the 16th century Anabaptists (Mennonites) and broke away from the main sect of Mennonites when the latter moderated their views and practices and strayed from strict austerity. The Amish live in separate, close-knit rural communities; reject modern technology including electricity, telephones and automotive equipment; wear plain clothing fastened with hooks and eyes, not buttons; provide no schooling beyond the 8th grade; worship in homes not church buildings; speak Pennsylvania Dutch (a variation on German) in addition to English; and practice "shunning" for members who break their rules. The Amish take their name from Joseph Amman, an early Swiss Anabaptist.
URL Name
YR-1500-0250
Third Level Code
YR-1500
Taxonomy Code
YR-1500.0250
Parent Code
YR-1500
Family Code
Y
Second Level Code
YR
Fourth Level Code
YR-1500-0250
Publication Status
Online