The origin of Amish people has been traced to Christian reform movement in Zurich, Switzerland in 1525 called Anabaptism (second baptism). In 1536, a Dutch catholic Priest Menno Simmons joined this movement and his followers were called Mennonites. During next century, Mennonites were persecuted in Switzerland and Germany by state run churches. The Mennonites wanted to follow the bible and live a simple religious life not controlled by state. As the seventeenth century came to close, a Swiss elder in Mennonite church named Jacob Ammann emphasized social avoidance (Shunning) against the people who left the church or refused to confess their sins. In 1694, Jacob Ammann broke away from Mennonites and his followers came to be called Amish.
As told by Nasim Hassan "In 1681, the Englishman William Penn in Pennsylvania encouraged religious tolerance because he had seen religious persecution first hand as a Quaker. The Mennonites and the Amish people started to migrate to America to avoid religious persecution. In 1737, a few Amish families settled in the Lancaster County, PA. The Amish church does not seek new members. When the Amish children are in their teens or early twenties they have to decide whether or not join the church. The members who leave Amish church or marry an outsider are shunned. The other members are then not allowed to buy or sell things from that person. The ban is a powerful instrument for keeping the church intact. Amish people use a Swiss- German dialect called Pennsylvania Dutch at home."
Therefore, Amish became Amish because of religious purposes to be more "holy" and close to God and family but it appears to me that these days even views on those beliefs are changing with the new generations.
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