Pennsylvania Dutch are descendants of Germanic peoples who emigrated to America before the 19th century. They speak a West Central German or Swiss dialect and practice various faiths, including Anabaptism. The Amish and Mennonites are the most prominent groups within the Pennsylvania Dutch population, with the Amish being known for their simple and conservative lifestyle and selective use of technology. Mennonites are generally more integrated into mainstream American society than the Amish. There is a great diversity of beliefs and ways of life among the different groups that make up the Pennsylvania Dutch population.
Pennsylvania Germans or Pennsylvanians are the descendants of several groups of Germanic peoples who emigrated from Switzerland, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands to America before the 19th century. The majority still reside in Pennsylvania, but there are smaller populations in Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Missouri, Kentucky and Minnesota. There is also a significant population in the Canadian province of Ontario. Pennsylvania Dutch typically speak an eponymous West Central German dialect or Swiss dialect and practice a variety of different faiths including Lutheranism and Anabaptist. The most prominent Pennsylvania Dutch populations in the United States are the Amish and Mennonites, although there are many individual Pennsylvania Dutch who are not members of either community.
Pennsylvania Dutch began arriving in the United States after a religious dispute with 17th-century Catholic and Protestant churches forced many to flee persecution. As members of the Anabaptist movement, they affirmed their right to be voluntarily baptized as adults and not as children. In 17, the Amish broke away from the movement and formed their own Anabaptist church in Switzerland. Consequently, the Amish and Mennonites are distinct but related groups within the Anabaptist movement.
The North American Amish population is generally viewed with curiosity due to the Amish’s simple and conservative style of dress, self-imposed cultural isolation, and selective use of technology and machinery. The Amish faith is Christian and the church emphasizes values of non-resistance, secular leadership, community, and isolation from modern society. An Amish person will not be baptized until he or she is 18 and voluntarily decides to formally join the church and community, which most do. A non-Pennsylvania Dutch person who wishes to join the Amish church can only do so after learning the language and the rules of the faith and community.
A common association with the Amish Pennsylvania Dutch is the apparent rejection of technology. It’s true that most technology, including televisions and computers, are often not permitted, but other types of technology and machinery can be used selectively. The decision to allow or disallow the use of a certain type of technology depends on whether the technology in question is seen as potentially harmful to the community in some way.
For example, a car is seen as dangerous because it could lead people to live further apart and thus destroy close community ties. Conversely, some farm implements, tools, and even turn signals on buggies are used by the Amish because these items are not perceived as threatening to Amish values or way of life.
Mennonites are Anabaptist like the Amish with an equally strong adherence to nonviolence. Unlike the Mennonites, the Amish practice shun and maintain fellowship more frequently. Also, a Mennonite man does not grow a beard, and many New Order Mennonites accept technologies such as automobiles and electricity. Mennonites are generally more integrated into mainstream American society than the Amish. Ultimately, there is a great diversity of beliefs and ways of life among the different groups that make up the Pennsylvania Dutch population in the United States.
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