An online resource on Amish culture

amish online encyclopediaThe Amish Online Encyclopedia examines a diverse range of topics, including Amish life, culture, and belief.

Articles are based on academic research as well as input from Amish themselves, including church leaders, lay members, and historians. Sources of further information are offered at the end of each article.
Updated March 2021


A

Agriculture

Do all Amish farm?
Do Amish use pesticides?
What foods and crops do Amish farmers produce?

see also Barn-raising

Alcohol

Do the Amish drink alcohol?

Anabaptists

Who were the Anabaptists?

Andy Weaver Amish

Who are the Andy Weaver Amish?

Auctions

Where can I find an Amish auction?

Ausbund

What is the Ausbund?

see also Song and Singing

 

B

Baptism

When do Amish get baptized?
How do Amish youth prepare for baptism?

Barn-raising

What happens at an Amish barn-raising?

Beachy Amish

What’s the difference between Beachy Amish and Old Order Amish?

Beliefs

see Religion; Church

Bible

Which Bible do the Amish use?

Bishop

see Church: Who leads the Amish church?

Buggies

amish buggies

Do all Amish use the Slow Moving Vehicle (SMV) triangle?
What colors are Amish buggies?
Why do the Amish drive buggies?
What are some tips for driving safely around buggies?

see also Transportation

Business

What are typical Amish businesses?

 

C

Children

Do Amish use birth control?
How do Amish discipline children?
How many children do Amish have?
Where are Amish babies born?
Why don’t Amish discuss pregnancy?

Church

Do Amish work on Sundays?
What is Amish church like?
How do Amish prepare their homes for church?
Who leads the Amish church?
What happens at an Amish communion service?
What is Council Meeting in the Amish church?
What is an Amish church directory?

see also Baptism; Bible

Clothing and Appearance

Do Amish women wear makeup?
Why do Amish women cover their hair?
Why do the Amish wear Plain clothing?

Communities

Which are the largest Amish communities?
Which are the oldest Amish communities?
Which states have the most Amish?

Computers

see Technology

D

Dating

Do Amish date?

see also Marriage; Rumspringa

Deacon

see Church: Who leads the Amish church?

Death

What is an Amish funeral like?
Where do Amish bury their dead?

Diversity

How many types of Amish are there?

Divorce

Can Amish get divorced?

see also Marriage

 

E

Education

amish schoolchildren

Do Amish children go to school?

Do Amish go to college?

Why do Amish only go to school until 8th grade?

Electricity

Do Amish use batteries?

Do Amish use electricity?

Do Amish use solar power?

Entertainment

see Recreation

Entrepreneurship

see Business

Europe

Do Amish live in Europe?

see also Origins

Excommunication

see Shunning; Ordnung

 

F

Farming

see Agriculture

Food

Do Amish eat pork?

What do Amish eat?

Do Amish eat fast food?

Firearms

Do Amish use guns?

Funeral

see Death

 

G

Gifts

What’s a good gift for an Amish person?

Government

see Politics; Non-resistance

Guns

see Firearms

 

H

Health

Do Amish visit doctors?

Do Amish have genetic disorders?

What are some Amish natural remedies?

What are some unconventional Amish health practices?

see also Vaccination; Children

Holidays

What holidays do Amish celebrate?

How do Amish celebrate Easter?

How do Amish celebrate Christmas?

Do Amish celebrate the 4th of July?

Do Amish celebrate Halloween?

Do Amish celebrate Valentine’s Day?

How do Amish observe Ascension Day?

What lesser-known holidays do Amish observe?

Homes

amish online encyclopedia home

How do Amish heat their homes?

How do Amish wash clothes?

What are Amish homes like?

Where do Amish go shopping?

Hunting

Do Amish hunt?

Hutterites

Who are the Hutterites?

 

I

Insurance

Do Amish carry health insurance?

Internet

see Technology

 

J

Joining the Amish

Do Amish accept outsiders?

 

K

 

L

Language

What language do the Amish speak?

Legal

Why don’t Amish sue?

 

M

Marriage

Can Amish marry non-Amish?

Do Amish wear wedding rings?

When do Amish get married?

What do Amish brides wear?

What is an Amish “wedding wagon”?

Do Amish remarry?

Medicine

see Health

Mennonites

old order mennonites

What’s the difference between Amish and Mennonites?

Who are the “Amish Mennonites”?

Who are the Old Colony Mennonites?

Who are the Old Order (Team) Mennonites?

Military Service

see Non-Resistance

Minister

see Church: Who leads the Amish church?

Money

Do Amish use banks?

Do the Amish use money?

How do Amish make money?

Do the Amish practice communism?

see also Business; Taxes

Music

see Song and Singing

Myths

What are common myths about the Amish?

 

N

Names

What are common Amish names?

What are common Amish men’s names?

What are common Amish women’s names?

How do Amish choose baby names?

Nebraska Amish

Who are the Nebraska Amish?

New Order Amish

What’s the difference between New Order and Old Order Amish?

Nickel Mines

see School Shooting

Non-Resistance

Why don’t Amish serve in the military?

 

O

Ordnung

What is the Amish Ordnung?

How do Amish review the (unwritten) Ordnung?

Origins

amish online encyclopedia origins

Where do the Amish come from?

 

P

Pacifism

see Non-Resistance

Pen Pal

How can I find an Amish pen-pal?

Photography

What do Amish think about photography?

Do Amish believe taking a photo captures their souls?

Politics

Do Amish vote?

Population

How are Amish communities organized?

How fast are the Amish growing?

Where do the Amish live?

Do Amish live in Australia?

Puppy Mills

Do Amish run puppy mills?

 

Q

 

R

Recreation

Do Amish dance?

Do Amish go on vacation?

Do Amish tell jokes?

What do Amish do for fun?

see also Sports

Religion

What do the Amish believe?

Do Amish evangelize?

What is the Dordrecht Confession?

What do Amish think about other religions?

Rumspringa

What is Rumspringa?

 

S

School

see Education

Shunning

Why do the Amish practice shunning?

Smoking and Tobacco

Do Amish smoke?

Song and Singing

Do Amish enjoy music and singing?

see also Ausbund

Spirituality

see Religion

Sports

amish sports

Do Amish play sports?

What is corner ball?

Steering Committee

What is the Amish Steering Committee?

Swartzentruber Amish

Who are the Swartzentruber Amish?

Swiss Amish

Who are the Swiss Amish?

 

T

Taxes

Do Amish pay taxes?

Technology

Do Amish use technology?

Do the Amish use computers and the internet?

Telephone

Do Amish use telephones?

Tourism

What do Amish think about tourism?

How can I stay with an Amish family?

Can I pay to stay on an Amish farm?

Transportation

Can Amish fly?

Can Amish ride in cars?

Do Amish ride bicycles?

Do Amish ride horses?

How do Amish travel?

Why do Amish ride scooters?

see also Buggies

 

U

 

V

Vaccination

Do Amish vaccinate their children?

Voting

see Politics

 

W

Wedding

see Marriage

Women

Do Amish women have rights?

What jobs do Amish women do?

 

X

 

Y

Youth

What happens at an Amish youth singing?

see also Rumspringa

 

Z

 

Last updated: March 2021


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