Microcultural Groups In America

The microcultural group that America is so fascinated about is the Amish. They entered the U.S. between 1730 and 1770; where around 100 Amish families, from Switzerland, settled in Pennsylvania. The Anabaptists were ferociously persecuted in their home country because of their religion. The effect of this was an encouragement of “simplicity and piety; which the Anabaptist already saw in the Bible” (Nolt 11). Today, there are over 250,000 Amish people living in over 28 states. The “Amish come from Jakob Amman, who taught his followers to live non resistant lives, care for the community, work the land, and follow the Bible literally” (National Geographic Channel 15). The languages they speak; which are high or low German and English, are based on who and where
They usually practice endogamy; which is the custom of marrying within the limits of the community or tribe. When the Amish youth go through Rumspringa, they are in search of a life partner. In certain circumstances this partner will be from outside of the Amish community. They life partner would then have to become a part of the church or the Amish man or women would have to leave the church and thus the community. There is a hierarchy in place and this shows that there is a subordinate status for the women. The members of the Amish community distinguish them from others because they strictly separate themselves from worldly fashion and influence. They try to keep life simple and isolated, for “ye not conformed to the world, (Neuliep).”
They Amish live nonresistant lives because they follow five basic tenants; adult baptism, shunning of those who break moral law, live by the Bible, separation of church and state, and refusal to bear arms because of their pacifist quality. They strictly follow the Bible and separate themselves from the world as to avoid confrontation and