The Amish are a sect of Christians who have preserved a traditional way of life. This exciting organization has hundreds of thousands of members thanks to America's long history of religious tolerance. They wear ordinary clothes, the women of this community wear hats, and the men have oddly shaped beards. They follow a unique form of baptism that differs from normal Christian practices. Since the Amish community first immigrated to America in the 18th century, the country's environment has become more diverse. And they are definitely worth learning more about.

1. Raising a barn

The Amish community's strength mostly comes from its ability to come together and work toward shared objectives, and the activity of barn raising is a significant element of that particular heritage.

Everybody in the community works together to complete tasks quickly and effectively so that good outcomes can be achieved, whether residents need living space or a barn. Those who received the barn will then work together to help future members of the community who require the same thing.

@Ohio Amish Barn Raising - May 13th, 2014 in 3 Minutes and 30 seconds/Penny M./ YouTube.com

2. Pennsylvania Dutch

Amish people speak differently from other Americans who are not Amish. They converse in their own language, known as "Pennsylvania Dutch," instead. It's sometimes referred to as "Low German" or simply "Amish" by certain individuals. The early German settlers in Pennsylvania are to blame for passing down this dialect to the Amish.

@The Amish way of life | FULL DOCUMENTARY/SLICE Full Doc/YouTube.com

3. Meidung

In Amish communities, "meidung," or "shunning," occurs when a person's behavior has been determined to be intolerable by the community.

Meidung used to be punishable by death, but nowadays it usually results in exile or some appropriate penalty that demonstrates one's contrition for their actions.

@The Amish Documentary Shunned from Amish Family/ amina barboza/ YouTube.com

4. They don't go to church

Although Amish people are deeply religious and value their faith much, they do not often attend typical church services. Although services are held in community houses, this does not imply that they are informal or lack organization.

They resemble typical church services in terms of scripture readings, and preacher-delivered sermons. Weekly religious services are frequently followed by social events and lunches. 

@Amish Church Service Explained/ the amish potato/ YouTube.com

5. Thursday is the day of the wedding

If you're Amish, chances are good that your wedding will take place on a Thursday. There is no religious motivation behind this. Actually, it's because scheduling weddings on Thursdays enables the cleanup of wedding-related community spaces.

Because no work is done in Amish communities on Sundays, cleaning up after weddings on Saturdays would require Sundays. Even though Thursdays are more typical, Amish marriages might occasionally be scheduled for Tuesdays for the same reason.

@Our transitional Amish Wedding/Montana Haven - Alaska Edition/YouTube.com

6. Drug scandal

A pair of Amish men were detained in 1999 after selling more than $100,000 worth of illegal narcotics over six years.

The offenders belonged to a drug ring that operated primarily out of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Even worse, they spent the majority of their time ruining their own communities by peddling drugs to young Amish people.

@Amishman caught with 25 lbs. of marijuana / Amish America/ YouTube.com

7. The Marriage

Here's a fun fact about the Amish that you might not have known. Those who want to get married must select a fellow churchgoer.

Invitations are hand-delivered by the couple, and the bride produces her own attire. The honeymoon is spent with family members.

@21 Things Amish Women DON'T Want You To Know/ Boggled/ YouTube.com

8. Beards

In Amish societies, beards serve a symbolic function. Because they cease shaving after becoming married.

@The Real Reason Amish Men Have Beards/ Grunge/ YouTube.com

9. Population growth

Because they don't really believe in birth control and because large families give them the workforce they need to be productive, Amish people tend to have quite large families. In fact, as a result, Amish villages have experienced significant population growth.

There were 100,000 Amish people in the US in 1989, and they are now over 250,000. Additionally, Amish populations have expanded across the country, settling in new regions.

@Amish children at family farm days, Lancaster/ Daniel Stoltzfus/ YouTube.com

10. Reality TV

Breaking Amish and Amish Mafia are obvious choices for television networks since they appeal to viewers' curiosity and perhaps the naivety of Amish people who don't watch much TV themselves. Of course, there are many who claim that a lot of the events depicted in these shows aren't as genuine as they would appear to be.

@Amish Girl Reveals A HUGE Secret And Gets A Makeover! | Breaking Amish/ tlc uk/ YouTube.com

11. It's all for show

This is conceivable, as evidenced by the contentious television program Breaking Amish. Many were shocked to learn that the characters on the show were frequently less conservative than they had anticipated.

In the midst of the uproar, however, suspicions started to spread that the cast had actually departed the Amish community before filming began or, even worse, that the relationships seen on-screen were contrived rather than genuine. 

@Amish Preacher’s Daughter Tells Dad She’s Leaving The Community | Breaking Amish/ tlc uk/ YouTube.com

12. Rumspringa

Amish communities also have much in common with other secular cultures. For example, if we are talking about children. Teenagers, for example, often show resistance to authority and rebel. 

But to solve this problem, several Amish communities offer Rumspringa or short-term leave from the community for young people. In addition, Amish teenagers who misbehave usually receive much lighter sentences.

@Amish Mafia - Rumspringa Party/ Discovery Channel Southeast Asia/ YouTube.com

13. The female attire

Amish women are expected to wear very simple clothing. This also applies to weddings, as brides usually wear modest shades such as blue. Another distinction from the rest of society is that after getting married, ladies continue to wear their wedding gowns every Sunday instead of storing them away in a cupboard.

@Beautiful Town Girl Can't Stop Looking At The Charming City Man/ N Recaps Love & Romance/ YouTube.com

14. Inheritance

A lot of land and property are owned by Amish people. As in other civilizations, they often pass it on to the next generation. However, it is not often that the eldest son receives an inheritance. Because parents are often not ready to retire when their older boys come of age, the younger son inherits the land instead.

@The "Secret" to well-behaved Amish Children/ Amish America/ YouTube.com

15. Amish Gang Conflict

Although it doesn't occur frequently in Amish villages, violence does occasionally occur there. In reality, several Amish men were detained in Ohio in 2011 for committing a particularly terrible crime.

While the crime may not have been very shocking to the rest of America, it is quite shocking in Amish communities. These men went into opponents' homes and shaved their beards! Samuel Mullet, who was ultimately jailed for the degrading behavior, was the leader of the group.

@In Beard-Cutting Case, Amish Await Hate Crime Sentences | The New York Times/The New York Times/YouTube.com

16. No-Face Dolls

The explanation is that Amish schoolchildren are taught that a person should be judged on the inside, not the outside. You'll also notice that the dolls wear modest clothing similar to what Amish people typically do.

@21 Things Amish Women DON'T Want You To Know/ Boggled/ YouTube.com

17. Please No Photos

Amish people have historically been strongly opposed to taking pictures. 

However, a lot of Amish towns and people have changed their minds and are now more at ease with having their pictures taken. In the end, since they don't own cameras or cell phones, images don't play a significant role in their lives.

18. Using an Amish computer

Although Amish people have historically been quite resistant to embracing new technology, they do occasionally allow specific technologies into their villages. For instance, some communities use these basic computers for tasks like bookkeeping or word processing.

The Deskmate computer is pretty simple, as you see. You cannot watch videos on it or play games on it. Additionally, there is no internet connection. Some Amish people are alright with it being utilized because it is just being used for business purposes.

@How Amish People Get Around Not Using Electricity/ Half as Interesting/ YouTube.com

19. Puppy mills

Many Amish settlements have puppy mills. They are a source of income for Amish people since they are skilled dog breeders. Some people think that excessive breeding frequently results in the dogs living in subpar conditions in Amish puppy mills, such as being confined for lengthy periods.

@dandypony400/Reddit.com

20. Hey, "Am" is on TV!

Even though Amish people don't watch TV, they are nonetheless shown on television for the rest of us to see. Amish people have long been depicted (and in some cases, misrepresented) on well-known TV programs, ranging from 2 Broke Girls to The X-Files.

Even a prominent character who was reared in an Amish community was included in the popular Netflix series Orange is the New Black more recently. Leanne, the protagonist, even speaks Pennsylvania Dutch, which adds a lovely touch of realism.

@Amish Girls See Airport For The First Time | Return To Amish/ tlc uk/ YouTube.com

21. There is no electricity

You may have known that the Amish shunned electricity, but why? They argue that electricity has actually reduced rather than improved people's quality of life. In addition, they believe that the use of public services increases a person's dependence on material goods.

In Amish villages, manual labor is used for any task.

@Do the Amish have Electricity ? // How do the Amish generate power?/ My Amish Neighbors/ YouTube.com

22. No Taxes?

People frequently believe that Amish people don't pay taxes. Actually, this is untrue. But despite paying taxes, they do not contribute to social security. When they reach retirement age, they do not, however, start receiving social security payments.

There is no need for a formal system like social security because elder care and support are already provided for in Amish communities. Additionally, Amish people reject commercial insurance.

@Do Amish Pay Taxes? Do Amish use Banks?/ the amish potato/ YouTube.com

23. Playing or not playing?

In a society where individualism seems to be frowned upon, you might wonder if there is much room for self-expression. The majority of Amish residents don't actually play musical instruments.

This is due to the fact that Amish leaders are worried that using instruments can result in egotistical overconfidence or even idol worship similar to what you see in popular culture, where outstanding musicians are admired and even revered. Even Amish church songs frequently merely contain words and no musical notation.

@I Heard The Bluebirds Sing, Bluegrass Music Videos from The Brandenberger Family/Brandenberger Family/ YouTube.com

24. The Memorial

Death is mourned in Amish communities, but it is not often discussed as it could be in other parts of society. After all, Amish people are very stoic.

Following embalming, bodies are viewed by family members and community members, who all use the occasion to pay their respects to the deceased. Women wear wedding dresses to be buried, maintaining their particular significance in death.

@Amish Funeral Of Bertha Kinsinger Zook Yoder Oakland,Maryland/ Simon Kinsinger/ YouTube.com

25. Several rules!

When it comes to behavior, Amish individuals are undoubtedly more constrained than people in other societies. In Amish villages, for instance, gender roles are still strongly segregated. Women refrain from wearing jewelry and patterned clothing, as well as from becoming preachers or holding positions of authority in their communities.

@10 Things Amish Girls DON'T Want You To Know/ Boggled/ YouTube.com

26. Closet Choices

Amish people like to dress simply and with purpose in mind as opposed to style.

Amish people dress in a way that avoids vanity and emphasizes outward appearances, according to Closet Choices. The Amish have traditionally placed a high value on modesty, which is why they like wearing darker-colored clothing and shy away from bright hues and jewelry.

@10 Things Amish Girls DON'T Want You To Know/ Boggled/ YouTube.com

27. Amish Education 

Amish children often receive their education in a manner reminiscent of American schools from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They attend one-room schools where the students' ages range from kindergarten to eighth grade.

There is no high school among the Amish. At that time, both men and women begin to concentrate on learning the trades they will practice as members of the community.

28. Other church traditions

As is common in many versions of Christianity, Amish men and women are not baptized as infants. They are instead baptized between the ages of 18 and 22.

Most Amish communities don't regularly attend church. Instead, they prefer to meet and worship in small groups at each other's homes and other places.

@Amish Prayers/ Shannon Allen/ YouTube.com

29. The Amish family of today

In the Amish way of life, family comes first. Each family resembles a miniature Amish community.

In reality, communities are frequently nothing more than assemblages of families, who even set their own standards and regulations. Believe it or not, some will even let alternative clothing colors or contemporary clothes like baseball caps! 

@How big are Amish families? Do Amish use birth control? And...the largest Amish family ever?/Amish America/ YouTube.com

30. One bed for two

Contrary to popular belief, sleeping with someone else is not always considered an intimate act in Amish culture. Connecting beds are occasionally used to allow two people to share a bed without touching each other. They are often separated by a board and have their own litter.

@10 Things You CAN Do That Amish Women CAN'T/TheThings Celebrity/YouTube.com

31. The Divine Will

The phrase, which means "God's Will," is a crucial expression of faith that directs many Amish actions. As an illustration, "Gottes Wille" defends Amish customs that do not involve screenings for genetic abnormalities that may manifest during childbirth.

Due to this opposition to genetic testing and some degree of inbreeding in Amish communities, more genetic problems are prevalent there.

@"City Of Light" Old Order Amish Church Oakland, Maryland/ Simon Kinsinger/ YouTube.com

32. Jakob Ammann

You undoubtedly want to know who the first Amish individual was. The recognized founder of the Amish way of life is a Swiss Anabaptist by the name of Jakob Ammann. Ammann stood out from many others because he took the rules of the Bible very seriously and literally.

Many traditional Amish practices, such as avoiding trimming one's beard, have their roots in this. Ammann also held the view that those who do not adhere to the laws and customs of the larger Amish society should be shunned.

@Why are they called "Amish" & "Mennonite"? (Anabaptist story in brief)/ Amish America/ YouTube.com

33. Mass Movement

Where were the Amish originally from? The origins of many Amish people can be found throughout Europe. Young Swiss reformers arrived in North America in the 18th century wanting the same religious freedom that many immigrants did.

The term "Pennsylvania Dutch" derives from their initial settlement in Pennsylvania. In the 19th century, additional people began to immigrate, and over time they moved from Pennsylvania through Ohio and other eastern states, finally passing to the Midwest.

@Why is it REALLY called Pennsylvania "Dutch"?/ Amish America/YouTube.com

34. We don't need insurance

Amish people don't think it's important to have commercial insurance. Furthermore, Amish people rarely need insurance since they work together to support one another when they are in need. Additionally, they never take advantage of any federal or state advantages.

Instead, everything is geared at obtaining assistance from their local communities. When necessary, folks organize fundraisers or just provide a hand to their neighbors. Amish people are extremely close-knit and closely connected to one another because of their emphasis on community.

35. How to become Amish?

Do you want to live the Amish way of life? Then know that you cannot just drive into the house and get housing. Your approval will depend on the vote of the local church after you learn the Amish customs and language.

@Look INSIDE an Amish Home/ Amish America/ YouTube.com

36. Excommunication

If you disregard the rules established by the Amish for their settlements, you will no longer be accepted into the church.

They will no longer interact socially or even commercially with community members. But there were cases when people asked for forgiveness and were accepted back into the church.

@Drowning My Sorrows | Breaking Amish/ TLC/ YouTube.com

37. Markets for Amish

If you frequently shop and reside in the Midwest or on the East Coast, you have probably occasionally spotted Amish folks in stores. The truth is that despite their propensity for seeking seclusion from the outside world, Amish people frequently buy goods that cannot be produced in their own villages.

38. Walmart

You might be perplexed as to why an Amish person would visit a big-box retailer like Walmart, even if they did require products from the outside world. Wouldn't it be more likely that they would choose to shop at local businesses?

Because Amish people are extremely frugal, they will probably shop where the prices are lowest. They find shopping easier when there is a big store with lots of things.

@Amish Walmart 🇺🇸/ Peter Santenello/ YouTube.com

39. Secular Experiments

While not all Amish towns follow this custom, many do force or even urge their young people to leave the community for a while when they reach adulthood. They are urged to take this opportunity to learn more about the outside world by going on adventures. They can then genuinely decide whether they wish to spend the remainder of their lives in their villages, or travel the world, or participate in secular society.

@PackagingMSU/Reddit.com

40. Arrested on suspicion of DUI

Kate, a member of the cast of Breaking Amish, was actually arrested for DUI in 2012.

A picture of her cup quickly went viral online and further confused many. Since the Amish are adamantly opposed to any illegal drug, they were angered by the impression the show made.

@Breaking Amish: Kate's Journey/ tlc uk/ YouTube.com

41. Nothing After the Eighth Grade

The fact that Amish people don't value education as highly as individuals in the outside world is a simple fact. The eighth grade marks the conclusion of Amish schooling.

Instead, they concentrate on a trade or, in the case of young women, on the art of managing a home and starting a family. The kind of knowledge that many people receive in high school or college is simply not necessary for them.

@Two Reasons Why Amish LIMIT Education/ Amish America/ YouTube.com

42. Playground

The only time in Amish life when they are allowed to deviate from tradition is during their teenage years. Even some Amish teenagers move outside their towns.

90% of people eventually ask for confirmation in the church and settle in the neighborhood. After that, they spend their time in different ways and may even enjoy sports like softball.

@Athletic Amish Girls & Boys: Competitive Spikeball/So I Married a Mennonite/YouTube.com

43. Fighting Modernity

It should come as no surprise that Amish men and women largely follow local, state, and federal regulations. However, there are times when Amish people choose to disregard outside rules for a variety of reasons, many of which are often pretty absurd.

As an illustration, some Amish people in Kentucky objected to having their horses wear "poop bags" to keep them from peeing all over the place while they are traveling. Members of the group contended in court that the rule violates their right to exercise their faith freely.

44. Mennonites versus Amish

You may have thought that Mennonites and Amish were the same, but no.

They do, however, have some things in common, such as a propensity towards modest clothes. Additionally, they both adhere to the Protestant practice of Anabaptism, which is defined as "being baptized again." However, never refer to an Amish person as a Mennonite!

@Amish vs. Mennonites: What's the difference?/ Amish America/ YouTube.com

45. They're More Healthy

Although eating organic has become popular in the US and many other countries, Amish people have been doing it since their communities first emerged. They cultivate and make their own food.

In addition to living an active lifestyle and not watching television, the Amish are also generally exceptionally healthy because they don't use tobacco or alcohol. 

46. Modern Medicine

It's a common misconception that Amish people dislike modern medicine, yet this is not true at all. They don't have individual insurance coverage, but if they have major medical conditions, they do visit the doctor. In fact, when a member of the community becomes ill, the community will come together to pay for their medical care.

@Do Amish visit doctors? (5 alternatives)/ Amish America/ YouTube.com

47. Disease Row

The notion that Amish communities have fewer autistic individuals than other groups is one of the most divisive topics in communities. Although many Amish people receive vaccinations as part of routine care, anti-vaccination activists have asserted that there is a correlation between the Amish community's lack of immunizations and reduced rates of autism.

Additionally, measles outbreaks and other issues have been connected to Amish communities that have refused immunizations. Even now, people are still debating this topic.

@Amish family sues NY over vaccine law/ News 8 WROC/ YouTube.com

48. Large Houses Result from a Large Population

Amish towns need to have plenty of housing options because Amish populations are expanding across the country. Amish families live bundled together in enormous dwellings that reduce individual space in favor of the economy, as opposed to individual families occupying large houses with enormous yards like so many Americans do.

The Amish emphasize functionality above style or beauty, exactly like the clothing they wear. 

49. Housewives in Amish

An Amish woman leads a very conventional existence. Although some might argue that Amish women have relatively dull lives, they actually appreciate being involved in lives of service to others. They invest their free time in caring for their homes, preparing meals, and even assisting others with various jobs.

Additionally, they choose not to challenge the majority of decisions and instead delegate a lot of decision-making to men or other community leaders. 

@A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MENNONITE MOM / SPEND THE DAY WITH ME/ Positively Amy/ YouTube.com

50. The Amish Aren't Prideful

While it's common to think that people who are very devout are judgmental or pompous, the majority of Amish people don't fit this stereotype. Amish people often aren't extremely fervent Christians and won't try to convert you to their way of thinking.

They are also taught to despise all forms of pride and haughtiness, so they deliberately refrain from passing judgment on others. For Amish people who desire to behave appropriately, the word demut, which means humility, and ‘’gelassenheit'', which means composure, are crucial.