What are things that the Amish do?

Amish people live a life centered on faith, family, and community, focusing on self-sufficiency through farming, crafts (like furniture & quilts), and simple living, often shunning modern electricity and cars for buggies, while also enjoying modest recreation like board games, fishing, and visiting with neighbors, all guided by religious rules (the Ordnung) that emphasize humility and separation from the outside world. They work together, raise families, attend modest one-room schools until 8th grade, and hold church services in their homes.

What are some things Amish do?

Earning renown as skilled entrepreneurs, the Amish generate income from a diverse array of businesses, ranging from carpentry and construction to retail shops and restaurants. While the Amish are most well-known for farming, community members also provide a variety of services including lodgings and furniture-making.

How many wifes can Amish have?

Amish men can only have one wife at a time, as polygamy (having multiple wives) is not practiced, and divorce is generally not allowed, making marriages monogamous lifelong commitments, though widowers can remarry within their community, often to an older single woman or a widow for companionship or family formation. 

What are things Amish people can't do?

As part of their Ordnung, Old Order Amish forbid owning automobiles; tapping electricity from public utility lines; owning televisions, radios, or personal computers; attending high school or college; joining the military; and initiating divorce. All Amish groups expect men and women to wear prescribed clothing.

How do the Amish make money?

Amish people earn money through traditional skills like farming, woodworking, and construction, alongside growing small businesses in retail, food, and manufacturing, often selling high-quality goods to the public. While farming remains important, many transition to trades and enterprises like furniture making, carpentry, and quilt making, leveraging their strong work ethic and community networks for business success, often using cash or business-specific banking.
 

Amish Explained | Who are the Amish? What do Amish believe? Lifestyle of the Amish Explained

Do Amish men use condoms?

Therefore, the use of condoms by Amish men is strictly forbidden and condemned in most, if not all, Amish communities.

How do Amish pay for their homes?

The most common way Amish families finance their homes is through community and family support. When a young couple is ready to start their own household, the community often comes together in what is known as a “barn raising,” which can also apply to home construction.

Why do Amish remove their teeth?

Amish people sometimes have teeth removed, often by unlicensed local "dentists," to avoid the high costs of modern dental care, view dentures as a simpler, cheaper solution, or as a cultural practice (like a rite of passage or pre-marriage), but this is often due to poverty, isolation from mainstream healthcare, and traditional practices, leading to poor oral health and reliance on extractions rather than fillings or crowns. 

Can Amish use cell phones?

Yes, many Amish people use cell phones, but rules vary significantly by community; while some strict groups forbid them, others allow basic phones for business, and more liberal groups might permit smartphones, often used discreetly to maintain community values of humility and separation from the outside world. They are used less for social media and more for work (like managing businesses) or emergencies, often kept out of the home or used in shared phone shanties to balance modern communication needs with tradition. 

Do Amish get social security numbers?

No, most Amish people do not get Social Security Numbers (SSNs) because they are religiously exempt from paying into the system and receiving benefits, filing IRS Form 4029 to opt out; however, this exemption creates issues for tax credits like the Child Tax Credit, and while they are exempt from paying, some business owners must still pay for employees, and the government may assign SSNs for administrative control, although the Amish usually don't use them for personal reasons.
 

Do Amish ladies wear bras?

Yes, most Amish women wear bras, but they are typically plain, functional cotton styles (not lacy or fancy), and in some very conservative communities, a hand-sewn alternative garment might be used instead of a store-bought bra for modesty and nursing needs. The specific undergarments vary by community, but the general principle is simplicity and practicality, not adornment. 

What must an Amish bride do on her wedding night?

On their wedding night, an Amish woman spends her first night as a wife in her parents' home, often with playful pranks from friends, before helping with cleanup the next day, as the "honeymoon" involves visiting relatives to receive gifts, not a separate trip. The evening involves celebration, but the focus is on community and preparation for starting their new life, often living with parents initially. 

At what age do Amish girls marry?

Amish girls typically get married in their early 20s, often between ages 20 and 22, usually shortly after being baptized into the church during their late teens or early twenties, with dating starting around 16 and partners found at social events like Sunday singings. 

Can Amish kiss before marriage?

Yes, Amish couples can kiss before marriage, but it's often very limited and happens privately, usually during "bundling" or late-night courting sessions where they might share a kiss after some rocking or conversation, but public affection is frowned upon, and strict rules (like a board in bed) are sometimes used to maintain modesty and prevent premarital sex, though premarital sex does occur despite being a sin. 

Can Amish look in mirrors?

Yes, the Amish can look in mirrors, and they use them for grooming, like fixing hair and shaving, as mirrors aren't considered vanity objects or "graven images" in the same way photographs are; the prohibition is more about avoiding vanity and individualism, with mirrors serving practical purposes in homes for daily routines, though they avoid posing for photos.
 

What time do the Amish go to bed and wake up?

The Amish stay up after dark, but they go to bed early: typically between 9 and 9.30pm in summer, and more like 8.30-9pm in winter. Most people start work at around 5.30am, so they're often up by 4.45am.

What do Amish use instead of toilet paper?

Amish people traditionally use simple, reusable items like old rags or cloth, alongside readily available natural materials such as leaves, corn cobs, or even newspaper pages, often seeing manufactured toilet paper as an unnecessary luxury, though some progressive groups do use it. Their choices reflect resourcefulness, simplicity, and waste reduction, with reusable cloths being washed and reused for hygiene.
 

Can Amish people fly?

Yes, Amish people can fly, but it's generally discouraged for everyday travel as it's seen as worldly and extravagant; however, it's permitted for emergencies, business, or visiting distant family, especially in more liberal or New Order Amish communities where exceptions are made for necessity, with trains and buses often preferred for long distances. 

How do Amish deal with periods?

Amish women manage periods using traditional, reusable methods like cloth pads (often homemade rags) for absorption, similar to historical practices before modern disposables, focusing on resourcefulness and cleanliness by washing and reusing them, while also relying on family planning through calendar-based fertility awareness to avoid pregnancy, reflecting their simple, faith-based lifestyle. 

Do Amish girls get pregnant during Rumspringa?

Rumspringa is a period that begins at age sixteen and ends with the promise of baptism, during this period young Amish are exposed to the outside world. Another problem the Amish community faces during the Rumspringa period is unexpected pregnancy.

What language do Amish people speak?

Amish people primarily speak Pennsylvania Dutch (Pennsylvania German) (their home language), English (for interacting with the outside world and in education), and High German (for religious services and scripture), using three languages to navigate their distinct cultural and religious life. Pennsylvania Dutch, their first language, is a German dialect that developed from immigrants in the 18th century, with some English influence, while High German connects them to their religious heritage.
 

Do the Amish circumcise their boys?

Yes, many Amish communities practice infant male circumcision, often arranged through midwives, though it's not universal across all groups, with about two-thirds of communities reportedly promoting it as a health practice rather than a strict religious ritual. 

Do Amish use refrigerators?

Yes, many Amish people use refrigerators, but typically not electric ones connected to the public grid; instead, they use gas (propane/natural gas), diesel, or solar-powered models, or rely on traditional methods like ice houses or cold cellars to keep food cold, adapting technology to fit their community rules.
 

What happens if an Amish husband dies?

In addition to emotional support, the Amish community provides extensive practical assistance to widows and widowers. This support can include help with daily chores, financial aid, and taking over responsibilities that the deceased spouse once managed.