The Amish community are notorious for keeping to themselves, which makes them something of a mystery to the outside world. What most people are familiar with is the way Amish people dress, and perhaps their horse and buggy. But how much do you know beyond that? The Amish are traditionalist Christians with a history that dates back to Switzerland in the 1600s. The largest population of Amish in the United States are in Pennsylvania, the Penn Dutch, who have their own language that’s also called Penn Dutch. Read on to learn more about Amish history, culture, and traditions.
No Car
There were two groups that came out of Switzerland: the ones that were led by Jakob Ammann, who would become known as the Old order Amish, and the second group that would later be known as the Amish Mennonites. The Amish Mennonites don’t avoid using cars, but the Old Order Amish held on to traditional customs, and they are the ones who use horse drawn buggys instead of motor cars.
No Car
The Beards
You might already know about the trimmed beards that Amish men sport. They grow these beards in order to show that they are married and also symbolize manhood, as well as humility. Amish men are not allowed to grow mustaches, since they are associated with the military, and the Amish faith is strongly against joining any type of military group.
The Beards