1. Search the background of Amish community.

The Amish are the most conservative segment of the Anabaptist movement,
which also produced the Mennonites. The Amish resulted from division within the
Swiss Brethren. They derived their name from Jacob Amman, an influential
Swiss Brethren leader of the late 1600s and early 1700s.
Most of the Amish forefathers came from Germany and Switzerland. Many were
driven from their homes by religious persecution, and hundreds of them
emigrated to the United States during a period of 125 years, starting soon after
1720. The Amish believe that the Bible teaches a life of simplicity and a distinct
separation between the church and the world. In view of this, they have refrained
from accepting technology and a lot of cultural changes that have been
introduced as progress. Therefore they are still driving horses and buggies; not
because they think the automobile is wicked in itself, but because they believe
the lifestyle it brings with it tends to break down a cohesive family structure, and
the simple lifestyle which they value so highly.

2. List the distinctive characteristics of Amish culture.

Amish lifestyle is dictated by the Ordnung(German, meaning: order),
which differs slightly from community to community, and, within a
community, from district to district. What is acceptable in one community

may not be acceptable in another.

The common theme among all Amish clothing is plainness; clothing
should not call attention to the wearer by cut, color, or any other
feature. Hook-and-eye closures or straight pins are used as fasteners on
dress clothing rather than buttons, zippers, or velcro. Snapsare used on
everyday clothes, and plain buttons or work shirts and trousers. The
historic restriction on buttons is attributed to tradition and their potential
for ostentation. In all things, the aesthetic value is plainness.

They avoid violence in all forms and they also dont serve in the military.
There is no central Amish church. Worship services are held in
community members homes where walls are designed to be moved

aside for large gatherings.

They practice adult baptism, believing that only adults can make informed

decisions about their own salvation and commitment to the church.

They practice shunning which means expulsion from the Amish
community for breaching religious guidelines. Shunning is serious, and
usually considered a last resort after repeated warnings.