Dark clothes and located in the eastern coast of the
USA in New England and the Middle colonies… Well, I have to confess that I
thought both of them were the same people the very first time I read about them
in a book and I saw them on a TV programme. However, despite showing some
common features, they also show several differences that define them. We are
talking, by the way, about the English Puritans and the Amish community.
RELIGION
To start with, the English Puritans make up with the
radical part of the Anglican Church founded by Henry VIII who, in origin,
didn’t consider himself a Protestant since he even had been declared “Defender
of the Faith” by the Roman Church for his words attacking Martin Luther, a German
Protestant. However, as the Protestant Reformation was advancing in Europe with
two leading figures, Martin Luther and John Calvin, the Anglican Church ended
up being swallowed by Protestantism. Moreover, his break up with Rome linked
him more with Protestantism, from which Puritans emerged. Nowadays, the concept
of Puritan doesn’t exist on its own, but people say Puritans have evolved into
what is now known as Baptist religion.
On the other hand, Amish come from Switzerland and the
religion they practise is Anabaptist, which means that they give their children
the chance to discover by themselves another lifestyle different from the
Amish. In that search for their identity, they can either choose that distinct
life or get baptized and belong to the Amish community forever.
TIME FRAME
Regarding the time frame, Puritans migrated to the USA
during the 1600s as opposed to the Amish who did it in the XVIIIth century,
although the Amish community grew in Switzerland around 1693. Nevertheless,
they shared a common purpose when migrating to the states: practising their
religion freely. And the Amish did it; they could be able to practise it with
freedom and let others to have their own beliefs. However, it didn’t happen
with Puritans, who took up the cause of this religious freedom when settling
down in the colony of Jamestown. Paradoxically, they didn’t tolerate other
peoples’ religions as the 1692 Witchcraft Trials or the English Cavaliers left
proof of.
SETTLEMENTS
Furthermore, when they migrated to the USA, both
groups settled in different places. On the one hand, the so called Pilgrim
Fathers started their new life in New England, more specifically in a place
known as Plymouth, the same name as the English port where they came from.
Nowadays, in fact, there are several landmarks which have left clear evidence
of the Puritans’ existence: Old Sturbridge Village, which is a living setting
representing the life of these first Pilgrims, as well as Salem Village, so
remembered by the Witchcraft Trials. Both places are near Boston, in the state
of Massachussetts.
The Amish community mainly settled in other states
where any tourist can visit them today: in the Lancaster county of the city of
Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), the city of Arcola (Illinois) and Ohio. In all these places we can witness their outfit and
lifestyles.
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| Sturbridge Village |
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| Salem Village |
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| Amish village |
OUTFIT AND LIFESTYLE
The Puritans dressed in a very simple way; men wore
collars outside armour, cloaks and gowns, jerkings and stockings with boots whereas
women dressed in a coif, shift and apron (these three pieces were usually
white); a waistcoat, petticoats and shoes, all of them in black. Puritans thought that all pleasures in life such as fine clothes, any kind of entertainment like drama performances, drinking alcohol or simply celebrating Christmas were sin for them or anyone enjoying them. In fact, many people were punished with death when they were found making use of any of the previous areas. Here lies their religious bigotry. The Amish, on the contrary, do celebrate Christmas.
Men typically wear dark-colored trousers, some with a dark vest or coat, suspenders (in some communities), broad-rimmed straw hats in the warmer months, and black felt hats in the colder months. Married men and those over forty grow
a beard. Mustaches are forbidden, because they are associated with European military
officers and militarism in general. A
beard may serve the same symbolic function: humility and
the years of marriage. From the
Wikipedia.
The Amish travel with buggies (cars pushed by horses) which are their only means of transport, unless they need a car for emergency cases. They don’t believe in progress such as electricity (they use gas) or make use of other energy resources like wind mills. They don’t have mobile phones because they say they don’t need them at all. Moreover, any other form of progress such as internet is rejected since, according to them, it is a way to have access to obscenity.
The Amish travel with buggies (cars pushed by horses) which are their only means of transport, unless they need a car for emergency cases. They don’t believe in progress such as electricity (they use gas) or make use of other energy resources like wind mills. They don’t have mobile phones because they say they don’t need them at all. Moreover, any other form of progress such as internet is rejected since, according to them, it is a way to have access to obscenity.
Men are usually
farmers,carpenters and ranchers. Women are housewives and their main role is
based on housekeeping and the care of their children (they normally have seven
or eight children). They are also in charge of their education (they teach them
some subjects such as Latin, English, Geography or German, the language in
which their religious books are written). Those who go to school stay there
until they are 15 years old and then they usually work in their businesses.
CELLULOID
The seventh art has
perfectly known how to reflect the existence of these two communities which
are, at least, enigmatic. The Puritans (The
Scarlet Letter, The Crucible, To Kill a King) or the Amish (Witness, Sarah Cain, Pure True).
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