Amish Society (Revised Edition)

xviii, 369 pp. "The various Amish or Amish Mennonite church fellowships are Christian religious denominations that form a very traditional sub-grouping of Mennonite churches. They are best known for their simple living, plain dress, and resistance to the adoption of many modern conveniences. The history of the Amish church began with a schism in Switzerland within a group of Swiss and Alsatian Anabaptists in 1693. The leader of the schismatic faction was an Anabaptist leader named Jakob Ammann. Those who followed Ammann became known as Amish. In the early 18th century, many Amish Mennonites emigrated to Pennsylvania for a variety of reasons. Today, the most traditional descendants of these Amish Mennonites continue to speak Pennsylvania German (more often referred to as Pennsylvania Dutch). There are also Old Order Amish communities, especially in the American state of Indiana, where a dialect of Swiss German predominates. Over the years, there have been numerous divisions among the Amish churches. The 'Old Order' Amish, an ultra-conservative faction that withdrew from fellowship with the wider body of Amish Mennonites in the 1860s, are those that have most emphasized traditional practices and beliefs. As of 2000, over 165,000 Old Order Amish live in Canada and the United States. A new study, produced in 2008, suggests their numbers have increased to 227,000." - Wikipedia