The Amish are a Christian fellowship of Mennonite churches that follow the teachings of Jacob Amman. http://www.amishcountry.org/amish.and.mennonite.historyThe Amish have settlements in 27 U.S states and Ontario, Canada. Most of their 249,000 members descended from a group of 5,000 who lived in the early 20th century.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/29/amish-population-growth-n_n_663323.html58% of their members are located in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Indiana.http://www2.etown.edu/amishstudies/Population_by_State_2008.asp Although there are many Amish groups, the majority of its members fall within four distinct orders. These orders, in order from most to least conservative, are the Swartzengruber, Old Order, Andy Weaver, and New Order Amish. Each group differs in its ideas about religion, tradition, and the role of technology in daily life. http://www2.etown.edu/amishstudies/Diversity.asp

Religion is at the center of Amish life. They believe in the literal interpretation of the Christian Bible. http://www2.etown.edu/amishstudies/FAQ.aspIn practice, the Amish live a highly agrarian lifestyle that has strongly resisted change since the mid-19th century. The Amish believe that technology and materialism will distance them from God, which is why they resist technological and cultural change. http://www2.etown.edu/amishstudies/FAQ.asp For example, many Amish communities do not use electricity and thus do not own many of the appliances typically found in American homes such as telephones, refrigerators, or televisions. http://www.amishcountry.org/the.amish.lifestyle

The Amish developed out of various movements within Christianity following the Protestant Reformation in Europe. Most Amish identify as Anabaptists, a reformation group that valued adult baptism over infant baptism. http://www.amishcountry.org/amish.and.mennonite.history In 1536, many of the Anabaptist groups came together under the leadership of a priest named Menno Simons and eventually came to be known as Mennonites. The Amish descend from a particular sect of Mennonites that split from the main group in 1693 under the leadership of a man named Jacob Amman.http://www2.etown.edu/amishstudies/Amish_Origins.asp Amman emphasized a stricter interpretation of the Bible, specifically with regards to the practice of excommunication.http://www.mennohof.org/php/schools/facts.php

Because Anabaptists in Europe were heavily persecuted in Europe by both Catholics and Protestants, the Amish eventually left their homes in Switzerland and southern Germany. Many immigrated to the Province of Pennsylvania which was run by William Penn and other Quakers who believed in religious freedom. http://www.amishcountry.org/amish.and.mennonite.history