Simple living, plain dress and pacifism. This is not a lifestyle typical of the United States. So how did the Amish come to be in America? Where did this religion come from? And how has their society changed with modernisation?

In this episode, Don and Dr Joseph Donnermeyer journey from the Anabaptist practices of medieval Europe to the faith and farms of modern day North America.

Joseph is a Professor Emeritus in the School of Environment and Natural Resources at The Ohio State University. Specialising in community sociology and rural criminology, he has been researching the Amish for over 2 decades.

Produced by Freddy Chick and Sophie Gee. Edited by Anisha Deva. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.

Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, James Holland, Mary Beard and more.

Don’t miss out on the best offer in history! Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORYHIT1 sign up now for your 14-day free trial https://historyhit/subscription/

You can take part in our listener survey here.