Day 9: Amish Country

Having a wonderful mother-in-law who is Mennonite and over the years has exposed me to that religion as well as the Amish in both southern and Northern Indiana I came in to today knowing a bit more then some in our group but even I experienced some things an learned some things I never knew about these two amazing groups of people. Before I get into how I would use today’s experience in the classroom I just want to comment on what a rare treat today really was for all of us. As I said before I have been around the Amish before and though they have been polite to me and even my wife’s mom who they grew up around they kept a distance from us not wanting to get to friendly with us “English”. Tonight that family treated to something you just don’t get everyday. What a beautiful and amazing family, the food was the best we have had on the trip, and when they sang for us, well that was a a rare treat indeed.

How I would use today’s trip in the classroom. I suppose the best place to bring these people up in a U.S. History class would have to be when I would discuss the Pilgrims and their reasons for coming to the new World. I don’t think many people realize that the Mennonites were being persucuted for their beliefs  back in Europe and that they just like the Pilgrims came to the new world for a new start. You could also work them in as you discussed with your class the different colonies and talk about how William Penn and his belief that all religions and people should be welcome to his colony. You could also use he Amish and the way they live as an example of what life kind of was like in the America’s since so many of the things they did back then they still do today to an extent. The last thing you could do is talk about the social responsibilities the Amish has taken on over the year’s and how these folks have given a hand to those in dire need and show how they have helped victims of hurricanes and tornados and such.