Question

The Amish are a group of traditionalist Christian fellowships, who migrated to the United States from Switzerland in the early 18th century. The Amish are known for simple living, plain dress, and they shun many conveniences and technology of the modern world. The Amish have had to use the Supreme Court in order to be able to live within the United States while maintaining their liberty and religious freedom. Examples of conflicts with the government have stemmed from education to military service during World War II and the Vietnam War. The Amish are a type of what culture within the United States.

A) inclusionist
B) racist
C) seclusionist
D) secular

Answer 1

Correct answer: C) seclusionist

Details:

Writing for Ranker, Danielle Ownbey notes: "The Amish live a secluded life away from other Americans (known to them as the English). Because of this seclusion, the average person knows very few facts about the inner workings of the Amish religion and culture."

Your question mentioned the role of the Supreme Court in protecting the rights of the Amish to follow their own beliefs and practices. An example would be the case, Wisconsin v. Jonas Yoder (1972), in which the decision of the Supreme Court was that a state could not compel education past 8th grade for Amish children. The case revolved around some Amish families who would not send their children to New Glarus High School in Wisconsin. County court held the parents responsible (represented by Jonas Yoder, one of the Amish fathers). However, the Wisconsin Supreme Court and then the US Supreme Court found in favor of Yoder and the Amish families. The parents' right to freedom of religion was seen as a stronger concern than the state's interest in educating children. An interesting fact about the Wisconsin v. Yoder case is that the Amish typically would not go to court to settle a dispute, because that would be a move beyond what their religious beliefs would allow. But a Lutheran minister named William Lindholm took up their cause for the sake of protecting religious freedom as a primary right. Lindholm established the National Committee for Amish Religious Freedom.