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Pennsylvania Dutch facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Pennsylvania Dutch is the name of a group of settlers who emigrated to the United States. Most of them were Protestant, they travelled along the Rhine, to reach the sea. Most of them settled in Pennsylvania. Most of them were Mennonites, Amish, or they belonged to the Moravian Church. They kept their language, which is known as Pennsylvania Dutch today. There numbers are unknown, but based on the speakers of the language, they are estimated to be between 390,000 and 420,000 people. About 80% of the people are Amish or Old Order Mennonites. Lutherans and Protestants only account for about five percent of the speakers.

Images for kids

  • Census Bureau 2000, Pennsylvania Dutch in the United States

    Diagram indicating Pennsylvania Dutch settlement in the United States

  • Shelter House Emmaus PA 2

    Shelter House in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, constructed in 1734 by Pennsylvania Dutch settlers, is believed to be the Lehigh Valley's oldest continuously occupied building structure and one of the oldest in Pennsylvania

  • Germantown2

    This picture from Old-Germantown shows the first log cabin of Francis Daniel Pastorius (bilt circa 1683), Pastorius' later house (built circa 1715), print shop and house of Saurs (built circa 1735), and the market square (built circa 1820).

  • Conestoga Wagon 1883

    Many of the Mennonite Germans from Pennsylvania arrived in Waterloo County in Conestoga wagons

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Pennsylvania Dutch para niños

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Pennsylvania Dutch Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.