The Amish live in small towns, also called settlements, in 19 states in the USA, southern Canada and Central America. The name “Amish” comes from Jacob Amman, a seventeenth-century bishop in Switzerland. Although the Amish originated in Europe, they emigrated to the USA in search of religious freedom. In America, no matter where they settled, they continued their traditional farm life and their religious customs.

Amish children are frequently educated at home or in traditional Amish one-room schools. The Amish teach their young people how to be homemakers and farmers, carpenters, and tradesmen from a very early age. By the time an Amish girl is twelve years old, she knows how to cook a meal for a whole group of Amish workers, and a young man knows how to farm by the time he’s a teenager. They work on their family’s farm or business until they marry.

They dress in a simple way. Men and boys usually wear dark-coloured suits, black socks and shoes and black hats. The women and girls never cut their hair and they do not wear jewellery.

Some people think that the Amish are strange because they do not use petrol or electricity, which pollute the environment. They are against cars, tractors, radio, television and phones. They believe they should keep our planet clean.
Choosing a wife or husband is the key decision in an Amish person’s life. It is interesting that instead of a diamond or gold ring, a man gives his bride china or a clock before they get married. At the wedding ceremony, the bride wears a blue dress, which is the most popular colour choice. Finally, the wedding usually takes place in November or December, on a Tuesday or Thursday. It is a fascinating event.

They speak a dialect of German at home; they use “standard” German at their church services; and they learn English at school. They speak English when they have to communicate with anyone who is not Amish.