Amish - wikipedia Amish This article is about the Old Order Amish, and only marginally for other Amish groups. For other uses, see Amish ( disambiguation ). Amish An Amish family riding in a traditional Amish buggy in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Total population 318,000 + ( 2017, Old Order Amish ) Founder Jakob Ammann Regions with significant populations United States ( notably Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana ) Canada ( notably Ontario ) Religions Anabaptist Scriptures The Bible Languages Pennsylvania German, Bernese German, Low Alemannic Alsatian German, Amish High German, English The Amish ( / ˈɑːmɪʃ / ; Pennsylvania German : Amisch, German : Amische ) are a group of traditionalist Christian church fellowships with Swiss Anabaptist origins. They are closely related to, but distinct from, Mennonite churches. The Amish are known for simple living, plain dress, and reluctance to adopt many conveniences of modern technology. The history of the Amish church began with a schism in Switzerland within a group of Swiss and Alsatian Anabaptists in 1693 led by Jakob Ammann. Those who followed Ammann became known as Amish. In the early 18th century, many Amish and Mennonites immigrated to Pennsylvania for a variety of reasons. Today, the most traditional descendants of the Amish continue to speak Pennsylvania German, also known as `` Pennsylvania Dutch '', although a dialect of Swiss German is used by Old Order Amish in the Adams County, Indiana area. As of 2000, over 165,000 Old Order Amish lived in the United States and about 1,500 lived in Canada. A 2008 study suggested their numbers had increased to 227,000, and in 2010 a study suggested their population had grown by 10 percent in the past two years to 249,000, with increasing movement to the West. Most of the Amish continue to have 6 -- 7 children while benefitting from the major decrease in infant and maternal mortality in the 20th century. Between 1992 and 2017, the Amish population increased by 149 %, while the U.S. population increased by 23 %. Amish church membership begins with baptism, usually between the ages of 16 and 25. It is a requirement for marriage within the Amish church. Once a person is baptized with the church, he or she may marry only within the faith. Church districts average between 20 and 40 families, and worship services are held every other Sunday in a member 's home. The district is led by a bishop and several ministers and deacons. The rules of the church, the Ordnung, must be observed by every member and cover most aspects of day - to - day living, including prohibitions or limitations on the use of power - line electricity, telephones, and automobiles, as well as regulations on clothing. Most Amish do not buy commercial insurance or participate in Social Security. As present - day Anabaptists, Amish church members practice nonresistance and will not perform any type of military service. The Amish value rural life, manual labor and humility, all under the auspices of living what they interpret to be God 's word. Members who do not conform to these community expectations and who can not be convinced to repent are excommunicated. In addition to excommunication, members may be shunned, a practice that limits social contacts to shame the wayward member into returning to the church. Almost 90 percent of Amish teenagers choose to be baptized and join the church. During an adolescent period of rumspringa ( `` running around '' ) in some communities, nonconforming behavior that would result in the shunning of an adult who had made the permanent commitment of baptism, may meet with a degree of forbearance. Amish church groups seek to maintain a degree of separation from the non-Amish world, i.e. American and Canadian society. Non-Amish people are generally referred to as ' English '. There is generally a heavy emphasis on church and family relationships. They typically operate their own one - room schools and discontinue formal education after grade eight, at age 13 / 14. Until the children turn 16, they have vocational training under the tutelage of their parents, community, and the school teacher. Higher education is generally discouraged as it can lead to social segregation and the unraveling of the community. Contents 1 History 1.1 Anabaptist beginnings 1.2 The emergence of the Amish 1.3 Migration to North America 1.4 Division 1850 -- 1878 2 Religious practices 3 Way of life 3.1 Cuisine 4 Subgroups of Amish 4.1 Affiliations 4.2 Use of technology by different Amish affiliations 4.3 Language 4.4 Ethnicity 4.5 Para-Amish groups 5 Population 6 Distribution 7 Seekers and joiners 8 Health 9 Amish life in the modern world 10 Publishing 11 Similar groups 12 Native American reconciliation 13 In popular culture 14 See also 15 Notes 16 References 17 Bibliography 18 Further reading 18.1 Music 18.2 Tourism 19 External links History Anabaptist beginnings Cover of The Amish and the Mennonites, 1938 An old Amish cemetery in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1941. The Anabaptist movement, from which the Amish later emerged, started in circles around Huldrych Zwingli ( 1484 -- 1531 ) who led the early Reformation in Switzerland. In Zurich on 21 January 1525, Conrad Grebel and George Blaurock practiced adult baptism to each other and then to others. This Swiss movement, part of the Radical Reformation, later became known as Swiss Brethren. The emergence of the Amish The term Amish was first used as a Schandename ( a term of disgrace ) in 1710 by opponents of Jakob Amman. The first division between Swiss Brethren was recorded in the 17th century between Oberländers ( those living in the hills ) and Emmentaler ( those living in the Emmental valley ). The Oberländers were a more extreme congregation ; their zeal pushing them into more remote areas and their solitude making them more zealous. Swiss Anabaptism developed, from this point, in two parallel streams, most clearly marked by disagreement over the preferred treatment of `` fallen '' believers. The Emmentalers ( sometimes referred to as Reistians, after bishop Hans Reist, a leader among the Emmentalers ) argued that fallen believers should only be withheld from communion, and not regular meals. The Amish argued that those who had been banned should be avoided even in common meals. The Reistian side eventually formed the basis of the Swiss Mennonite Conference. Because of this common heritage, Amish and Mennonites from southern Germany and Switzerland retain many similarities. Those who leave the Amish fold tend to join various congregations of Conservative Mennonites. Migration to North America Amish Mennonites began migrating to Pennsylvania, then known for its religious toleration, in the 18th century as part of a larger migration from the Palatinate and neighboring areas. This migration was a reaction to religious wars, poverty, and religious persecution on the Continent. The first Amish immigrants went to Berks County, Pennsylvania, but later moved, motivated by land issues and by security concerns tied to the French and Indian War. Many eventually settled in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Other groups later settled elsewhere in North America. Division 1850 -- 1878 Most Amish communities that were established in North America did not ultimately retain their Amish identity. The major division that resulted in the loss of identity of many Amish congregations occurred in the third quarter of the 19th century. The forming of factions worked its way out at different times at different places. The process was rather a `` sorting out '' than a split. Amish people are free to join another Amish congregation at another place that fits them best. Between 1862 and 1878 yearly Dienerversammlungen ( ministerial conferences ) were held at different places, concerning how the Amish should deal with the pressures of modern society. The meetings themselves were a progressive idea ; for bishops to assemble to discuss uniformity was an unprecedented notion in the Amish church. By the first several meetings, the more traditionally minded bishops agreed to boycott the conferences. The more progressive members, comprising approximately two - thirds of the group, became known by the name Amish Mennonite, and eventually united with the Mennonite Church, and other Mennonite denominations, mostly in the early 20th century. The more traditionally minded groups became known as the Old Order Amish. The Egli Amish had already started to withdraw from the Amish church in 1858. They soon drifted away from the old ways and changed their name to `` Defenseless Mennonite '' in 1908. Congregations that took no side in the division after 1862 formed the Conservative Amish Mennonite Conference in 1910 but dropped the word `` Amish '' from their name in 1957. Because there was no division in Europe, the Amish congregations remaining there took the same way as the change - minded Amish Mennonites in North America and slowly merged with the Mennonites. The last Amish congregation in Germany to merge was the Ixheim Amish congregation, which merged with the neighboring Mennonite Church in 1937. Some Mennonite congregations, including most in Alsace, are descended directly from former Amish congregations. Religious practices Main article : Amish religious practices A scan of the historical document Diß Lied haben die sieben Brüder im Gefängnüß zu Gmünd gemacht Two key concepts for understanding Amish practices are their rejection of Hochmut ( pride, arrogance, haughtiness ) and the high value they place on Demut ( humility ) and Gelassenheit ( calmness, composure, placidity ), often translated as `` submission '' or `` letting - be ''. Gelassenheit is perhaps better understood as a reluctance to be forward, to be self - promoting, or to assert oneself. The Amish 's willingness to submit to the `` Will of Jesus '', expressed through group norms, is at odds with the individualism so central to the wider American culture. The Amish anti-individualist orientation is the motive for rejecting labor - saving technologies that might make one less dependent on community. Modern innovations like electricity might spark a competition for status goods, or photographs might cultivate personal vanity. Electricity lines would be going against the Bible, which says that you shall not be `` Conformed to the world '' ( Romans 12 : 2 ). Way of life Main article : Amish way of life Amish couple in horse - driven buggy in rural Holmes County, Ohio, September 2004 Amish lifestyle is regulated 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. It is agreed upon within the community by the elders prior to the annual Communion. These include matters such as dress, permissible uses of technology, religious duties, and rules regarding interaction with outsiders. These elders are generally men. Bearing children, raising them, and socializing with neighbors and relatives are the greatest functions of the Amish family. Amish typically believe large families are a blessing from God. Community is central to the Amish way of life. Working hard is considered godly, and some technological advancements have been considered undesirable because they reduce the need for hard work. Machines such as automatic floor cleaners in barns have historically been rejected as this provides young farmhands with too much free time. Cuisine See also : Cuisine of the Pennsylvania Dutch Amish cuisine is noted for its simplicity and traditional qualities. Food plays an important part in Amish social life and is served at potlucks, weddings, fundraisers, farewells and other events. Many Amish foods are sold at markets including pies, preserves, bread mixes, pickled produce, desserts and canned goods. Many Amish communities have also established restaurants for visitors. Subgroups of Amish Main article : Subgroups of Amish Over the years, the Amish churches have divided many times over doctrinal disputes. The largest group, the `` Old Order '' Amish, a conservative faction that separated from other Amish in the 1860s, are those that have most emphasized traditional practices and beliefs. The New Order Amish are a group of Amish that some scholars see best described as a subgroup of Old Order Amish, despite the name. Affiliations There are eight major affiliations of Old Order Amish with the largest number of districts belonging to Lancaster : Affiliation Date established Origin States Settlements Church districts Lancaster 1760 Pennsylvania 8 37 291 Elkhart - LaGrange 1841 Indiana 9 177 Holmes Old Order 1808 Ohio 147 Buchanan / Medford 1914 Indiana 19 67 140 Geauga I 1886 Ohio 6 11 113 Swartzentruber 1913 Ohio 15 43 119 Geauga II 1962 Ohio 27 99 Swiss ( Adams ) 1850 Indiana 5 15 86 Use of technology by different Amish affiliations The table below indicates the use of certain technologies by different Amish affiliations. The use of cars is not allowed by any Old and New Order Amish, nor are radio, television or in most cases the use of the Internet. The three affiliations : `` Lancaster '', `` Holmes Old Order '' and `` Elkhart - LaGrange '' are not only the three largest affiliations, they also represent the mainstream among the Old Order Amish. The most conservative affiliations are above, the most modern ones below. Technologies used by very few are on the left ; the ones used by most are on the right. The percentage of all Amish who use a technology is also indicated approximately. Affiliation Tractor for fieldwork Roto - tiller Power lawn mower Propane gas Bulk milk tank Mechanical milker Mechanical refrigerator Pickup balers Inside flush toilet Running water bath tub Tractor for belt power Pneumatic tools Chain saw Pressurized lamps Motorized washing machines Percentage of use by all Amish 6 20 25 30 35 35 40 50 70 70 70 70 75 90 97 Swartzentruber No No No No No No No No No No No Some No No Yes Swiss ( Adams ) No No Some No No No No No Some No No Some Some Some Some Buchanan / Medford No No No No No No No No No No No Some No Yes Yes Danner No No No Some No No Some No No No Yes No No Yes No Geauga I No No No No No No No Some Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Holmes Old Order No Some Some No * No No Some Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Elkhart - LaGrange No Some Some Some Some Some Some Some Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Lancaster No No Some Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Nappanee, Indiana No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Kalona Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes * Natural gas allowed Language Main article : Pennsylvania German language Most Old Order Amish speak Pennsylvania Dutch, and refer to non-Amish people as `` English '', regardless of ethnicity. Some Amish who migrated to the United States in the 1850s speak a form of Bernese German or a Low Alemannic Alsatian dialect. According to one scholar, `` today, almost all Amish are functionally bilingual in Pennsylvania Dutch and English ; however, domains of usage are sharply separated. Pennsylvania Dutch dominates in most in - group settings, such as the dinner table and preaching in church services. In contrast, English is used for most reading and writing. English is also the medium of instruction in schools and is used in business transactions and often, out of politeness, in situations involving interactions with non-Amish. Finally, the Amish read prayers and sing in Standard German ( which, in Pennsylvania Dutch, is called Hochdeitsch ) at church services. The distinctive use of three different languages serves as a powerful conveyor of Amish identity. `` Although ' the English language is being used in more and more situations, ' Pennsylvania Dutch is ' one of a handful of minority languages in the United States that is neither endangered nor supported by continual arrivals of immigrants. ' '' Ethnicity The Amish largely share a German or Swiss - German ancestry. They generally use the term `` Amish '' only for members of their faith community and not as an ethnic designation. However some Amish descendants recognize their cultural background knowing their genetic and cultural traits are uniquely different from other ethnicities. Those who choose to affiliate with the church, or young children raised in Amish homes, but too young to yet be church members, are considered to be Amish. Certain Mennonite churches have a high number of people who were formerly from Amish congregations. Although more Amish immigrated to North America in the 19th century than during the 18th century, most of today 's Amish descend from 18th - century immigrants. The latter tended to emphasize tradition to a greater extent, and were perhaps more likely to maintain a separate Amish identity. There are a number of Amish Mennonite church groups that had never in their history been associated with the Old Order Amish. The former Western Ontario Mennonite Conference ( WOMC ) was made up almost entirely of former Amish Mennonites who reunited with the Mennonite Church in Canada. Orland Gingerich 's book The Amish of Canada devotes the vast majority of its pages not to the Beachy or Old Order Amish, but to congregations in the former WOMC. Para-Amish groups There are also several groups, called `` para-Amish '' by G.C. Waldrep and others that share many characteristics with the Amish, like horse and buggy transportation, plain dress and the preservation of the German language. The members of these groups are largely of Amish origin, but these groups are not in fellowship with other Amish groups, because they adhere to theological doctrines ( e.g., assurance of salvation ) or practices ( community of goods ) that are normally not accepted among mainstream Amish. A former Amish group is the Bergholz Community. Population Historical population Year Pop. ± % 1920 5,000 -- 1928 7,000 + 40.0 % 1936 9,000 + 28.6 % 1944 13,000 + 44.4 % 1952 19,000 + 46.2 % 1960 28,000 + 47.4 % 1968 39,000 + 39.3 % 1976 57,000 + 46.2 % 1984 84,000 + 47.4 % 128,150 + 52.6 % 2000 166,000 + 29.5 % 249,500 + 50.3 % 2017 318,400 + 27.6 % Source : 1992, 2000, 2010, 2017 Because the Amish are usually baptized no earlier than 18 and children are not counted in local congregation numbers, it is hard to estimate their numbers. Rough estimates from various studies placed their numbers at 125,000 in 1992 ; 166,000 in 2000 ; and 221,000 in 2008. Thus, from 1992 to 2008, population growth among the Amish in North America was 84 percent ( 3.6 percent per year ). During that time they established 184 new settlements and moved into six new states. In 2000, about 165,620 Old Order Amish resided in the United States, of whom 73,609 were church members. The Amish are among the fastest - growing populations in the world, with an average of seven children per family. In 2010, a few religious bodies, including the Amish, changed the way their adherents were reported to better match the standards of the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies ( ASARB ). When looking at all Amish adherents and not solely Old Order Amish, there were about 241,000 Amish adherents in 28 U.S. states in 2010. Distribution United States See also : List of U.S. states by Amish population There are Old Order communities in 27 U.S. states. Pennsylvania has the largest population ( 74,300 ), followed by Ohio ( 73,800 ) and Indiana ( 53,100 ), as of June 2017. The largest Amish settlements are in Lancaster County in southeastern Pennsylvania ( 36,900 ), Holmes County in northeastern Ohio ( 35,100 ), and Elkhart and LaGrange counties in northeastern Indiana ( 24,200 ). Nearly 50 % of the population in Holmes County is Amish. The largest concentration of Amish west of the Mississippi River is in Missouri, with other settlements in eastern Iowa and southeast Minnesota. The largest Amish settlements in Iowa are located near Kalona and Bloomfield. Another major settlement of 10,000 Old Order Amish is also located in west central Wisconsin. Because of rapid population growth in Amish communities, new settlements are formed to obtain enough farmland. Other reasons for new settlements include locating in isolated areas that support their lifestyle, moving to areas with cultures conducive to their way of life, maintaining proximity to family or other Amish groups, and sometimes to resolve church or leadership conflicts. State Amish Popu - lation in 1992 Amish Popu - lation in 2000 Amish Popu - lation in 2010 Amish Popu - lation in 2017 Pennsylvania 35,200 40,100 59,350 74,250 Ohio 43,200 49,750 58,590 73,780 Indiana 25,200 32,650 43,710 53,075 Wisconsin 7,800 10,250 15,360 20,095 New York 4,700 5,000 12,015 18,575 Michigan 6,500 9,300 11,350 15,040 Missouri 5,200 6,100 9,475 12,320 Kentucky 1,500 5,150 7,750 12,060 The table on the right shows the eight states with the largest Amish population in the years 1992, 2001, 2010 and 2017. Canada The majority of Old Order settlements in Canada are located in the province of Ontario, namely Oxford ( Norwich Township ) and Norfolk counties. A small community is also established in Bruce County ( Huron - Kinloss Township ) near Lucknow. In 2016, several dozen Old Order Amish families relocated to Kings County in the province of Prince Edward Island as part of a planned, long - term migration. Increasing land prices in Ontario had reportedly limited the ability of members in those communities to purchase new farms. Currently two separate settlements have been established in the vicinity of the town of Montague ; one west of the town in the Summerville - New Perth area, and the other northeast of the town in the Dundas - Bridgetown area. Europe In Europe there was no split between Old Order Amish and Amish Mennonites ; like the `` Amish Mennonites '' in North America, the European Amish assimilated into the Mennonite mainstream during the second half of the 19th century through the first decades of the 20th century. Eventually they dropped the word `` Amish '' from the names of their congregations and lost their Amish identity and culture. The last European Amish congregation joined the Mennonites in 1937 in Ixheim, today part of Zweibrücken in the Palatinate region. A small Beachy Amish congregation associated with Weavertown Amish Mennonite Church exists in the Republic of Ireland. Latin America The first attempt by Old Order Amish to settle in Latin America was in Paradise Valley, near Galeana, Nuevo León, Mexico but the settlement only lasted from 1923 to 1929. There was an Amish settlement in Honduras from about 1968 to 1978, but this settlement failed too. In 2015 new settlements of New Order Amish were founded east of Catamarca, Argentina, and Colonia Naranjita, Bolivia, about 75 miles ( 121 km ) southwest of Santa Cruz. Seekers and joiners Main article : Seeker ( Anabaptism ) Only a few outsiders, so - called seekers, have ever joined the Amish. Since 1950 only some 75 people have joined and remained members of the Amish. Since 1990 some twenty people of Russian Mennonite background have joined the Amish in Aylmer, Ontario. Two whole Christian communities have joined the Amish : The Church at Smyrna, Maine, one of the five Christian Communities of Elmo Stoll after Stoll 's death and the Church at Manton, Michigan, which belonged to a community that was founded by Harry Wanner ( 1935 -- 2012 ), a minister of Stauffer Old Order Mennonite background. The `` Michigan Churches '', with which Smyrna and Manton affiliated, are said to be more open to seekers and converts than other Amish churches. Most of the members of these two para-Amish communities originally came from Plain churches, i.e. Old Order Amish, Old Order Mennonite or Old German Baptist Brethren. More people have tested Amish life for weeks, months, or even years, but in the end decided not to join. Others remain close to the Amish but never think of joining. Stephen Scott, himself a convert to the Old Order River Brethren, distinguishes four types of seekers : Checklist seekers, who look for a couple of certain specifications. Cultural seekers, who are more enchanted with the lifestyle of the Amish than with their religion. Spiritual utopian seekers, who look for true New Testament Christianity. Stability seekers, who come with emotional issues, often from dysfunctional families. Health Main article : Health among the Amish An Amish farm near Morristown in New York State Amish populations have higher incidences of particular conditions, including dwarfism, Angelman Syndrome, and various metabolic disorders, as well as an unusual distribution of blood types. The Amish represent a collection of different demes or genetically closed communities. Although the Amish do not have higher rates of genetic disorders than the general population, since almost all Amish descend from about 200 18th - century founders, genetic disorders resulting from inbreeding exist in more isolated districts ( an example of the founder effect ). Some of these disorders are rare or unique, and are serious enough to increase the mortality rate among Amish children. The Amish are aware of the advantages of exogamy, but for religious reasons marry only within their communities. The majority of Amish accept these as `` Gottes Wille '' ( God 's will ) ; they reject the use of preventive genetic tests prior to marriage and genetic testing of unborn children to discover genetic disorders. However, Amish are willing to participate in studies of genetic diseases. Their extensive family histories are useful to researchers investigating diseases such as Alzheimer 's, Parkinson 's, and macular degeneration. While the Amish are at an increased risk for some genetic disorders, researchers have found their tendency for clean living can lead to better health. Overall cancer rates in the Amish are reduced and tobacco - related cancers in Amish adults are 37 percent and non-tobacco - related cancers are 72 percent of the rate for Ohio adults. The Amish are protected against many types of cancer both through their lifestyle and through genes that may reduce their susceptibility to cancer. Even skin cancer rates are lower for Amish, despite the fact many Amish make their living working outdoors where they are exposed to sunlight. They are typically covered and dressed by wearing wide - brimmed hats and long sleeves which protect their skin. Treating genetic problems is the mission of Clinic for Special Children in Strasburg, Pennsylvania, which has developed effective treatments for such problems as maple syrup urine disease, a previously fatal disease. The clinic is embraced by most Amish, ending the need for parents to leave the community to receive proper care for their children, an action that might result in shunning. Another clinic is DDC Clinic for Special Needs Children, located in Middlefield, Ohio, for special - needs children with inherited or metabolic disorders. The DDC Clinic provides treatment, research, and educational services to Amish and non-Amish children and their families. People 's Helpers is an Amish - organized network of mental health caregivers who help families dealing with mental illness and recommend professional counselors. Suicide rates for the Amish are about half that of the general population. The Old Order Amish do not typically carry private commercial health insurance. A handful of American hospitals, starting in the mid-1990s, created special outreach programs to assist the Amish. Although not forbidden, most Amish do not practice any form of birth control. They are against abortion and also find `` artificial insemination, genetics, eugenics, and stem cell research '' to be `` inconsistent with Amish values and beliefs ''. Amish life in the modern world Main article : Amish life in the modern world Traditional Amish buggy, Lancaster style Amish school near Rebersburg, Pennsylvania As time has passed, the Amish have felt pressures from the modern world. Issues such as taxation, education, law and its enforcement, and occasional discrimination and hostility are areas of difficulty. The Amish way of life in general has increasingly diverged from that of modern society. On occasion, this has resulted in sporadic discrimination and hostility from their neighbors, such as throwing of stones or other objects at Amish horse - drawn carriages on the roads. The Amish do not usually educate their children past the eighth grade, believing that the basic knowledge offered up to that point is sufficient to prepare one for the Amish lifestyle. Almost no Amish go to high school and college. In many communities, the Amish operate their own schools, which are typically one - room schoolhouses with teachers ( usually young, unmarried women ) from the Amish community. On May 19, 1972, Jonas Yoder and Wallace Miller of the Old Order Amish, and Adin Yutzy of the Conservative Amish Mennonite Church, were each fined $5 for refusing to send their children, aged 14 and 15, to high school. In Wisconsin v. Yoder, the Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned the conviction, and the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed this, finding the benefits of universal education were not sufficient justification to overcome scrutiny under the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. The Amish are subject to sales and property taxes. As they seldom own motor vehicles, they rarely have occasion to pay motor vehicle registration fees or spend money in the purchase of fuel for vehicles. Under their beliefs and traditions, generally the Amish do not agree with the idea of Social Security benefits and have a religious objection to insurance. On this basis, the United States Internal Revenue Service agreed in 1961 that they did not need to pay Social Security - related taxes. In 1965, this policy was codified into law. Self - employed individuals in certain sects do not pay into or receive benefits from the United States Social Security system. This exemption applies to a religious group that is conscientiously opposed to accepting benefits of any private or public insurance, provides a reasonable level of living for its dependent members, and has existed continuously since December 31, 1950. The U.S. Supreme Court clarified in 1982 that Amish employers are not exempt, but only those Amish individuals who are self - employed. Publishing In 1964 Pathway Publishers was founded by two Amish farmers to print more print material about the Amish and Anabaptists in general. It is located in Lagrange, Indiana, and Aylmer, Ontario. Pathway has become the major publisher of Amish material. Pathway publishes a number of school text books, general reading books, and periodicals. There are also a number of private enterprises who publish everything from general reading to reprints of older literature that has been considered of great value to Amish families. Some Amish read the Pennsylvania German newspaper Hiwwe wie Driwwe, and some of them even contribute dialect texts. Similar groups Groups that sprang from the same late 19th century Old Order Movement as the Amish share their Pennsylvania German heritage and often still retain similar features in dress. These Old Order groups include different subgroups of Old Order Mennonites, Schwarzenau Brethren and Old Order River Brethren. Conservative `` Russian '' Mennonites and Hutterites who also dress plain and speak German dialects emigrated from other European regions at a different time with different German dialects, separate cultures, and related but different religious traditions. Particularly, the Hutterites live communally and are generally accepting of modern technology. Noah Hoover Mennonites are so similar in outward aspects to the Old Order Amish ( dress, beards, horse and buggy, extreme restrictions on modern technology, Pennsylvania German language ), that they are often perceived as Amish and even called Amish. The few remaining Plain Quakers are similar in manner and lifestyle, including their attitudes toward war, but are unrelated to the Amish. Early Quakers were influenced, to some degree, by the Anabaptists, and in turn influenced the Amish in colonial Pennsylvania. Most modern Quakers have since abandoned their traditional dress. Native American reconciliation As early as 1809 Amish were farming side by side with Native American farmers in Pennsylvania. According to Cones Kupwah Snowflower, a Shawnee genealogist, the Amish and Quakers were known to incorporate Native Americans into their families to prevent them from ill treatment, especially after the Removal Act of 1832. Beginning in 2003, Mennonites held a reconciliation meeting with Native Americans, resulting in subsequent meetings asking for forgiveness. The Amish, as pacifists, did not engage in warfare with Native Americans, nor displaced them directly, but were part of a wave of European immigrants who forced Native Americans westward. `` The Lord told me to honor the Native Americans because they 're the gatekeepers of the land, '' stated Melvin Lapp, who was raised in an Amish family and helped in a gathering between Amish of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and twelve Native American tribes. In 2012, the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society collaborated with the Native American community to construct a replica Iroquois Longhouse. In popular culture Main article : Amish in popular culture See also Anabaptism portal Amish & Mennonite Heritage Center Amish furniture Amish music Barn raising Bank of Bird - in - Hand Christian views on poverty and wealth Fancy Dutch List of Amish and their descendants Martyrs Mirror Northkill Amish Settlement Pinecraft ( Sarasota ) Plain people West Nickel Mines School shooting Notes Jump up ^ Hochdeitsch is the Pennsylvania Dutch equivalent of the Standard German word Hochdeutsch ; both words literally mean `` High German ''. Jump up ^ The overall suicide rate in 1980 in the USA was 12.5 per 100,000. References Jump up ^ `` Amish Population Profile, 2017 ''. Elizabethtown College, the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies. Retrieved 23 August 2017. Jump up ^ Kraybill 2001, pp. 7 -- 8. Jump up ^ Kraybill 2001, p. 8. Jump up ^ Zook, Noah and Samuel L Yoder ( 1998 ). `` Berne, Indiana, Old Order Amish Settlement ''. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved April 3, 2009. Jump up ^ `` The Amish : history, beliefs, practices, etc ''. Religious tolerance. Retrieved November 25, 2011. Jump up ^ Scolforo, Mark ( August 20, 2008 ). `` Amish population nearly doubles in 16 years ''. USA Today. Associated Press. Retrieved February 3, 2011. Jump up ^ Scolforo, Mark ( July 28, 2010 ). `` Amish Population Growth : Numbers Increasing, Heading West ''. The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on July 30, 2010. Retrieved July 29, 2010. Jump up ^ `` Amish Population Change, 1992 - 2017 '' ( PDF ). Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies, Elizabethtown College. Retrieved December 28, 2017. Jump up ^ `` US Population by Year ''. Multpl. Retrieved March 30, 2017. Jump up ^ Kraybill 1994, p. 3. ^ Jump up to : American Experience : The Amish Jump up ^ `` Amisch Teenagers Experience the World ''. National Geographic Television. Archived from the original on November 10, 2008. Jump up ^ Public Broadcasting Service ( PBS ). `` The Amish : Shunned ''. American Experience. PBS. Retrieved 16 November 2017. Jump up ^ Anthony L. Chute, Nathan A. Finn, Michael A.G. Haykin : The Baptist Story, Nashville, 2015, page 12 Jump up ^ C. Arnold Snyder : Anabaptist History and Theology : An Introduction, Kitchener, ON, 1995, page 62. Jump up ^ Smith & Krahn 1981, pp. 212 -- 4. Jump up ^ Kraybill 2000, pp. 63 -- 4. Jump up ^ Steven M. Nolt : A History of the Amish, Intercourse, 1992, page 159. Jump up ^ Steven M. Nolt : A History of the Amish, Intercourse, 1992, pages 157 - 178. Jump up ^ Fellowship of Evangelical Churches. `` Our History ''. Fecministries.org. Retrieved December 28, 2017. Jump up ^ Stephen Scott : An Introduction to Old Order and Conservative Mennonite Groups, Intercourse, Pennsylvania, 1996, pages 122 - 123. Jump up ^ Steven M. Nolt : A History of the Amish, Intercourse, 1992, page 227. Jump up ^ Nolt 1992. Jump up ^ Kraybill, Donald ( September 27, 2001 ). The Riddle of Amish Culture ( Revised ed. ). Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 080186772X. Jump up ^ Simply Delicious Amish Cooking : Recipes and stories from the Amish of Sarasota, Florida by Sherry Gore Zondervan, May 7, 2013 256 pages Jump up ^ ISBN 0740797654 Jump up ^ Lovina Eicher. The Amish Cook at Home : Simple Pleasures of Food, Family, and Faith. 2008. Jump up ^ Bil Vincent ( 2012 ). Traditional Amish Recipes. Bloomington, Indiana. Jump up ^ Kraybill, Donald B., Karen M. Johnson - Weiner, and Steven M. Nolt, eds. The Amish ( Johns Hopkins University Press, 2013 ), page 139. Jump up ^ `` Amish Technology Use in Different Groups ''. Jump up ^ Hurst, Charles E. ; McConnell, David L. ( 2010 ). An Amish Paradox : Diversity and Change in the World 's Largest Amish Community. The Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 15 -- 16. ISBN 0 - 8018 - 9398 - 4. Jump up ^ Hurst, Charles E. ; McConnell, David L. ( 2010 ). An Amish Paradox : Diversity and Change in the World 's Largest Amish Community. The Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 15. ISBN 0 - 8018 - 9398 - 4. Jump up ^ Hugh F. Gingerich and Rachel W. Kreider, Revised Amish and Amish Mennonite Genealogies, Morgantown, PA : 2007. This comprehensive volume gives names, dates and places of births and deaths, and relationships of most of the known people of this unique sect from the early 1700s until about 1860 or so. The authors also include a five page `` History of the First Amish Communities in America ''. Jump up ^ `` Genetic Disorders Hit Amish Hard ''. Cbsnews.com. Retrieved January 31, 2017. Jump up ^ Nolt 1992, p. 104. Jump up ^ Gingerich, Orland ( 1990 ). `` Western Ontario Mennonite Conference ''. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved July 5, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Amish Population Trends 1992 -- 2013 ''. Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies, Elizabethtown College. Retrieved June 12, 2013. ^ Jump up to : `` Amish Population Change Summary 1992 -- 2008 '' ( PDF ). Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies, Elizabethtown College. Retrieved July 8, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Amish Population Change, 2010 - 2015 ( Alphabetical Order ) '' ( PDF ). Groups.etown.edu. Retrieved December 28, 2017. ^ Jump up to : `` Amish Population Change, 2012 - 2017 United States '' ( PDF ). Groups.etown.edu. Retrieved 28 December 2017. ^ Jump up to : `` Population Trends 1992 -- 2008 ''. Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies, Elizabethtown College. Archived from the original on June 6, 2009. Retrieved July 8, 2009. Jump up ^ Kraybill 2000. Jump up ^ Ericksen, Julia A ; Ericksen, Eugene P ; Hostetler, John A ; Huntington, Gertrude E ( July 1979 ). `` Fertility Patterns and Trends among the Old Order Amish ''. Population Studies. 33 ( 2 ) : 255 -- 76. doi : 10.2307 / 2173531. ISSN 0032 - 4728. JSTOR 2173531. OCLC 39648293. PMID 11630609. Jump up ^ Manns, Molly. `` Indiana 's Amish Population ''. InContext. Indiana Business Research Center. Retrieved January 14, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Twelve largest settlements, 2017 ''. Groups.etown.edu. June 25, 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2017. Jump up ^ E., Hurst, Charles ( 2010 ). An Amish paradox : diversity & change in the world 's largest Amish community. McConnell, David L., 1959 -. Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 9780801893995. OCLC 647908343. Jump up ^ `` Amish Population by State ''. Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies, Elizabethtown College. 2009. Retrieved February 4, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Iowa Amish ''. amishamerica.com. Retrieved 2015 - 09 - 18. Jump up ^ Barrionuevo, Alexei ( October 18, 2005 ). `` Amish May Be Good Neighbors, but Not Their Horses ''. The New York Times. Jump up ^ John A. Hostetler : Amish Society, Baltimore 1993, page 98. Jump up ^ Donald Kraybill ( 2001 ). The Riddle of Amish Culture. Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978 - 0 - 8018 - 6772 - 9. Jump up ^ 2010 U.S. Religion Census, official website. Jump up ^ `` Amish scout new community in P.E.I ''. Cbc.ca. Retrieved January 31, 2017. Jump up ^ Direct personal knowledge of said migration. Jump up ^ `` Ixheim ( Rheinland - Pfalz, Germany ) ''. Gameo.org. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved December 28, 2017. Jump up ^ Clifford, Michael ( August 6, 2000 ). `` At ease with the alternative Amish way ''. Sunday Tribune. Ireland. Archived from the original on September 1, 2010. Jump up ^ Steven M. Nolt : A History of the Amish. Intercourse, PA 1992. Jump up ^ Cory Anderson and Jennifer Anderson : The Amish Settlement in Honduras, 1968 - 1978 in Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies 4, 1, pages 1 - 50. Jump up ^ `` 2016 Amish Population : Two New Settlements In South America ''. Amishamerica.com. Retrieved December 28, 2017. ^ Jump up to : Donald B. Kraybill, Karen M. Johnson - Weiner, Steven M. Nolt : The Amish, Baltimore 2013, page 159. Jump up ^ Donald B. Kraybill, Karen M. Johnson - Weiner, Steven M. Nolt : The Amish, Baltimore 2013, page 160f. Jump up ^ G.C. Waldrep : The New Order Amish And Para-Amish Groups : Spiritual Renewal Within Tradition, in Mennonite Quarterly Review 3 ( 2008 ), page 420. Jump up ^ Peter Hoover. `` Radical Anabaptists Today - Part 4 ''. Scrollpublishing.com. Retrieved December 28, 2017. Jump up ^ G.C. Waldrep : The New Order Amish And Para-Amish Groups : Spiritual Renewal Within Tradition, in Mennonite Quarterly Review 3 ( 2008 ), page 416. Jump up ^ Donald B. Kraybill, Karen M. Johnson - Weiner, Steven M. Nolt : The Amish, Baltimore 2013, page 160f. Jump up ^ McKusick, Victor A ( 2000 ). `` Ellis - van Creveld syndrome and the Amish ''. Nature Genetics. 24 ( 3 ) : 203 -- 204. doi : 10.1038 / 73389. Archived from the original on May 17, 2008. Retrieved July 2, 2008. Jump up ^ Harlalka, GV ( 2013 ). `` Mutation of HERC2 causes developmental delay with Angelman - like features ''. Journal of Medical Genetics. 50 ( 2 ) : 65 -- 73. doi : 10.1136 / jmedgenet - 2012 - 101367. PMID 23243086. Retrieved November 3, 2014. Jump up ^ Morton, D. Holmes ; Morton, Caroline S. ; Strauss, Kevin A. ; Robinson, Donna L. ; Puffenberger, Erik G ; Hendrickson, Christine ; Kelley, Richard I. ( June 27, 2003 ). `` Pediatric medicine and the genetic disorders of the Amish and Mennonite people of Pennsylvania ''. American Journal of Medical Genetics. 121C ( 1 ) : 5 -- 17. doi : 10.1002 / ajmg. c. 20002. PMID 12888982. Retrieved July 2, 2008. Regional hospitals and midwives routinely send whole - blood filter paper neonatal screens for tandem mass spectrometry and other modern analytical methods to detect 14 of the metabolic disorders found in these populations... Jump up ^ Hostetler 1993, p. 330. Jump up ^ Hostetler 1993, p. 328. Jump up ^ Nolt, Steven M. ( 2016 ). The Amish : A Concise Introduction. Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 106. ISBN 978 - 1 - 4214 - 1956 - 5. Jump up ^ Ruder, Katherine ' Kate ' ( July 23, 2004 ). `` Genomics in Amish Country ''. Genome News Network. Jump up ^ `` Amish Have Lower Rates of Cancer, Ohio State Study Shows ''. Columbus, OH : Ohio State University Medical Center. January 1, 2010. Archived from the original on June 16, 2010. Retrieved January 6, 2010. Jump up ^ `` DDC Clinic for Special Needs Children ''. October 7, 2011. Retrieved November 25, 2011. Jump up ^ Kraybill 2001, p. 105. Jump up ^ Kraybill ( Autumn 1986 ), et al, `` Suicide Patterns in a Religious Subculture : The Old Order Amish '', International Journal of Moral and Social Studies, 1 Jump up ^ Rubinkam, Michael ( October 5, 2006 ). `` Amish Reluctantly Accept Donations ''. The Washington Post. Retrieved March 25, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Amish Studies -- Beliefs ''. Young Center for Anabaptist & Pietist Studies, Elizabethtown College. Retrieved February 2, 2013. Jump up ^ Andrews, Margaret M. ; Boyle, Joyceen S. ( 2002 ). Transcultural concepts in nursing care. Lippincott. p. 455. ISBN 978 - 0 - 7817 - 3680 - 0. Retrieved January 19, 2008. Jump up ^ Iseman, David ( May 18, 1988 ). `` Trumbull probes attack on woman, Amish buggy ''. The Vindicator. p. 1. Retrieved July 12, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Stone Amish ''. Painesville Telegraph. September 12, 1949. p. 2. Retrieved July 12, 2011. Jump up ^ `` State Police Arrest 25 Boys in Rural Areas ''. The Vindicator. October 25, 1958. Retrieved July 12, 2011. Jump up ^ Wisconsin v. Yoder, 182 N.W. 2d 539 ( Wis. 1971 ). Jump up ^ Wisconsin v. Yoder, 406 U.S. 205, 32 L. Ed. 2d 15, 92 S. Ct. 1526 ( 1972 ). Jump up ^ `` Rumble strips removed after the Amish say they 're dangerous ''. WWMT television news. August 20, 2009. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved November 24, 2011. Dobberteen is one of a growing number of people in St. Joseph County who believes that the Amish should n't have a say in what happens with a state road. ' Some people are saying, `` Well jeeze, you know the Amish people do n't pay taxes for that, why are we filling them in '' what do you think about that ? We pay our taxes, ' said Dobberteen. Roads are paid for largely with gas tax and vehicle registration fees, which the Amish have no reason to pay. Jump up ^ Kraybill, Donald. `` Top Ten FAQ ( about the Amish ) ''. PBS / The American Experience. Retrieved February 2, 2013. Jump up ^ `` U.S. Code collection ''. Law.cornell.edu. Retrieved September 20, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Application for Exemption From Social Security and Medicare Taxes and Waiver of Benefits '' ( PDF ). Internal Revenue Service. 2006. Retrieved July 2, 2008. Jump up ^ `` U.S. v. Lee, 102 S. Ct. 1051 ( 1982 ) ''. August 20, 2009. Retrieved November 24, 2011. On appeal, the Supreme Court noted that the exemption provided by 26 U.S.C. 1402 ( g ) is available only to self - employed individuals and does not apply to employers or employees. As to the constitutional claim, the court held that, since accommodating the Amish beliefs under the circumstances would unduly interfere with the fulfillment of the overriding governmental interest in assuring mandatory and continuous participation in and contribution to the Social Security system, the limitation on religious liberty involved here was justified. Consequently, in reversing the district court, the Supreme Court held that, unless Congress provides otherwise, the tax imposed on employers to support the Social Security system must be uniformly applicable to all. Jump up ^ `` Pathway Publishers ''. Gameo.org. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved December 28, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Elizabethtown College -- Young Center ''. Etown. Retrieved November 25, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Hutterites ''. Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved November 9, 2008. Jump up ^ Laverdure, Paul ( 2006 ). `` Hutterites ''. Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan. Canadian Plains Research Center. Archived from the original on October 13, 2008. Retrieved November 9, 2008. Jump up ^ `` 7 News Belize ''. 7newsbelize.com. Jump up ^ `` Stauffer Mennonite Church ''. Gameo.org. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved December 28, 2017. Jump up ^ Hamm 2003, p. 101. Jump up ^ Hamm 2003, pp. 103 -- 5. Jump up ^ `` WGBH American Experience. The Amish - PBS ''. Pbs.org. Retrieved January 31, 2017. Jump up ^ Cones Kupwah Snowflower in NAAH No. 14 July 1996 `` Let 's Get Physical '' Jump up ^ ( 1 ) Jump up ^ `` Amish Bishop asks Native Americans for Reconciliation ''. Blog.globcal.net. Retrieved January 31, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Attempting to Repair the Past : An American Indian Longhouse Exhibit Coming to Amish Country ''. Indiancountrymedianetwork.com. April 29, 2012. Retrieved January 31, 2017. Bibliography Hostetler, John ( 1993 ), Amish Society ( 4th ed. ), Baltimore, Maryland ; London : Johns Hopkins University Press, ISBN 978 - 0 - 8018 - 4442 - 3. Kraybill, Donald B., Karen M. Johnson - Weiner, and Steven M. Nolt, eds. The Amish ( Johns Hopkins University Press, 2013 ), 500 pp. Kraybill, Donald B ( 1994 ), Olshan, Marc A, ed., The Amish Struggle with Modernity, Hanover, NH : University Press of New England, p. 304. Kraybill, Donald B, The Anabaptist Escalator. -- -- -- ( 2001 ) ( 2000 ), Anabaptist World USA, Herald Press, ISBN 0 - 8361 - 9163 - 3. -- -- -- ( 2001 ), The Riddle of Amish Culture ( revised ed. ), ISBN 0 - 8018 - 6772 - X. Nolt, Steven M. ( 1992 ), A History of the Amish, Intercourse : Good Books. Mackall, Joe : Plain Secrets : An Outsider among the Amish, Boston, Mass. 2007. `` Swiss Amish '', Amish America, Type pad, archived from the original on March 2, 2009, retrieved March 26, 2009. Smith, C Henry ; Krahn, Cornelius ( 1981 ), Smith 's Story of the Mennonites ( revised & expanded ed. ), Newton, Kansas : Faith and Life Press, pp. 249 -- 356, ISBN 0 - 87303 - 069 - 9. Further reading Die Botschaft ( Lancaster, PA 17608 - 0807 ; 717 - 392 - 1321 ). Newspaper for Old Order Amish and Old Order Mennonites ; only Amish may place advertisements. The Budget ( P.O. Box 249, Sugarcreek, OH 44681 ; 330 - 852 - 4634 ). Weekly newspaper by and for Amish. The Diary ( P.O. Box 98, Gordonville, PA 17529 ). Monthly newsmagazine by and for Old Order Amish. Beachy, Leroy. Unser Leit... The Story of the Amish. Millersburg, OH : Goodly Heritage Books, 2011. 996 pp. ISBN 0 - 9832397 - 0 - 3 DeWalt, Mark W. Amish Education in the United States and Canada. Rowman and Littlefield Education, 2006. 224 pp. Garret, Ottie A and Ruth Irene Garret. True Stories of the X-Amish : Banned, Excommunicated and Shunned, Horse Cave, KY : Neu Leben, 1998. Garret, Ruth Irene. Crossing Over : One Woman 's Escape from Amish Life, Thomas More, 1998. Gehman Richard. `` Plainest of Pennsylvania 's Plain People Amish Folk '' National Geographic August 1965, pp. 226 -- 253 ( 30 pictures ). Good, Merle and Phyllis. 20 Most Asked Questions about the Amish and Mennonites. Intercourse, PA : Good Books, 1979. Hostetler, John A. ed. Amish Roots : A Treasury of History, Wisdom, and Lore. Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University Press, 1989. 319 pp. Igou, Brad. The Amish in Their Own Words : Amish Writings from 25 Years of Family Life, Scottdale, PA : Herald Press, 1999. 400 pp. Johnson - Weiner, Karen M. Train Up a Child : Old Order Amish and Mennonite Schools. Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006. 304 pp. Keim, Albert. Compulsory Education and the Amish : The Right Not to be Modern. Beacon Press, 1976. 211 pp. Kraybill, Donald B. The Amish of Lancaster County. Mechanicsburg, PA : Stackpole Books, 2008. Kraybill, Donald B. ed. The Amish and the State. Foreword by Martin E. Marty. 2nd ed. : Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University Press, 2003. 351 pp. Kraybill, Donald B. Renegade Amish : Beard Cutting, Hate Crimes, and the Trial of the Bergholz Barbers. Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University Press, 2014. 224 pp. Kraybill, Donald B. and Carl D. Bowman. On the Backroad to Heaven : Old Order Hutterites, Mennonites, Amish, and Brethren. Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2002. 330pp. Kraybill, Donald B. and Steven M. Nolt. Amish Enterprise : From Plows to Profits. 2nd ed. Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University Press, 2004. 286 pp. Kraybill, Donald B., Steven M. Nolt and David L. Weaver - Zercher. Amish Grace : How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy. New York : Jossey - Bass, 2006. 256 pp. Kraybill, Donald B., Steven M. Nolt and David L. Weaver - Zercher. The Amish Way : Patient Faith in a Perilous World. New York : Jossey - Bass, 2010. 288 pp. Kraybill, Donald B., Karen M. Johnson - Weiner, and Steven M. Nolt. The Amish. Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University Press, 2013. 520 pp. Luthy, David. Amish Settlements That Failed, 1840 -- 1960. LaGrange, IN : Pathway Publishers, 1991. 555pp. Nolt, Steven M. A History of the Amish. Rev. and updated ed. : Intercourse, Pa. : Good Books, 2003. 379 pp. Nolt, Steven M. and Thomas J. Myers. Plain Diversity : Amish Cultures and Identities. Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University Press, 2007. 256 pp. Schachtman, Tom. Rumspringa : To be or not to be Amish. New York : North Point Press, 2006. 286 pp. Schlabach, Theron F. Peace, Faith, Nation : Mennonites and Amish in Nineteenth - Century America. Scottdale, PA : Herald Press, 1988. 415 pp. Schmidt, Kimberly D., Diane Zimmerman Umble, and Steven D. Reschly, eds. Strangers at Home : Amish and Mennonite Women in History. Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University Press, 2002. 416 pp. Scott, Stephen. The Amish Wedding and Other Special Occasions of the Old Order Communities. Intercourse, PA : Good Books, 1988. 128pp. Stevick, Richard A. Growing Up Amish : the Teenage Years. Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University Press, 2007. 320 pp. Umble, Diane Zimmerman. Holding the Line : the Telephone in Old Order Mennonite and Amish Life. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2000. 192 pp. Umble, Diane Zimmerman and David L. Weaver - Zercher, eds. The Amish and the Media. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008. 288 pp. Weaver - Zercher, David L. The Amish in the American Imagination. Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001. 280 pp. Yoder, Harvey. The Happening : Nickel Mines School Tragedy. Berlin, OH : TGS International, 2007. 173 pp. Music Umble, John ( 1939 ). `` The Old Order Amish, Their Hymns and Hymn Tunes ''. The Journal of American Folklore. 52 ( 203 ) : 82 -- 95. doi : 10.2307 / 536013. JSTOR 536013. Jackson, G.P. ( 1945 ). `` The Strange Music of the Old Order Amish ''. The Musical Quarterly. XXXI ( 3 ) : 275 -- 288. doi : 10.1093 / mq / XXXI. 3.275. Thompson, Chad L. ( 1996 ). `` Yodeling of the Indiana Swiss Amish ''. Anthropological Linguistics. 38 ( 3 ) : 495 -- 520. JSTOR 30028600. Tourism Buck, Roy C. ( 1978 ). `` Boundary maintenance revisited : tourist experience in an Old Order Amish community ''. Rural Sociology. 43 ( 2 ) : 221 -- 34. ISSN 0036 - 0112. Fagance, Michael ( 2001 ). `` Tourism as a Protective Barrier for Old Order Amish and Mennonite Communities ''. In Smith, Valene L. ; Brent, Maryann. Hosts & Guests Revisited : Tourism Issues of the 21st Century. Putnam Valley, NY : Cognizant Communication Corporation. pp. 201 -- 9. ISBN 1 - 882345 - 29 - 0. Chhabra, D. ( 2009 ). `` How They See Us : Perceived Effects of Tourist Gaze on the Old Order Amish ''. Journal of Travel Research. 49 : 93 -- 105. doi : 10.1177 / 0047287509336475. Buck, R.C. ( 1977 ). `` The ubiquitous tourist brochure explorations in its intended and unintended use ''. Annals of Tourism Research. 4 ( 4 ) : 195 -- 207. doi : 10.1016 / 0160 - 7383 ( 77 ) 90038 - X. Besculides, A. ; Lee, M.E. ; McCormick, P.J. ( 2002 ). `` Residents ' perceptions of the cultural benefits of tourism ''. Annals of Tourism Research. 29 ( 2 ) : 303. doi : 10.1016 / S0160 - 7383 ( 01 ) 00066 - 4. Pearce, P.L. ; Moscardo, G.M. ( 1986 ). `` The Concept of Authenticity in Tourist Experiences ''. Journal of Sociology. 22 : 121. doi : 10.1177 / 144078338602200107. Boynton, L.L. ( 1986 ). `` The effect of tourism on Amish quilting design ''. Annals of Tourism Research. 13 ( 3 ) : 451 -- 465. doi : 10.1016 / 0160 - 7383 ( 86 ) 90030 - 7. Olshan, Marc A. ( 1991 ). `` The Opening of Amish Society : Cottage Industry as Trojan Horse ''. Human Organization. 50 ( 4 ) : 378 -- 84. Archived from the original on 2013 - 06 - 29. 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Question: how many amish are there in the world
Answer: 318,000+