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Bibliography

Earhart, Amelia. (2009). Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Retrieved May 12, 2009, from Grolier Online http://gme.grolier.com/cgi-bin/article? ... =0092460-0

Feinstein, S. (2006). Read about Amelia Earhart. Berkley Heights, New Jersey: Enslow

Publishers, Inc.

Garcia J., Ogle, D. M., Risinger, C. F., & Stevos J. (2007). Creating America history of

the Unites States. Evanston, Illinois: McDougal Little.

Larsen, A. (2009). Earhart, Amelia. The New Book of Knowledge®. Retrieved May 11, 2009, from Grolier Online http://nbk.grolier.com/cgibin/article?a ... a2008563-h

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Szabo, C. (1997). Sky Pioneer a biography of Amelia Earhart. NW, Washington D.C.:

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Injustices and assumptions are made every day, forcing those who they are directed upon to be what people think them to be. Most everyone calls it being stereotypical. This, though many may not realize it, is one of the greatest crimes being committed in the world today: forcing someone, indirectly, to be whom most think they are and want them to be. One very prominent example of this is with women. As is widely known, women were not treated, as they should have been. They did not possess equal rights or opportunities compared with men. Even when equal rights were, being established many women still did nothing. They were content with being inferior; because that was the box, they had been placed in for their entire life and the lives of those before them. It took bravery, and still does, to step out of the box life places you in. Even when it is done, it is not an easy rode: filled with doubt, ridicule, and uncertainty. Nevertheless, it shows a true mark of character to be able to make a life outside that box as Amelia Earhart did.

Amelia Earhart was born to Edwin and Amy Earhart on July 24, 1897. Her

Father, Edwin, worked in the railroads claim department while Amy stayed home with Amelia and her younger sister, Muriel. However, Amy frequently went with Edwin on business trips, leaving the two young girls in the care of their grandparents. Amelia’s parents were different from many at that time because they would encourage both girls to be their own people and not to bend themselves to fit other’s views. Her family would travel quite a bit and Amelia always loved it. She always enjoyed going on adventures and seeing new places. However, a little later on in her life her father developed a heavy drinking problem. This made family life much worse and caused him to uproot the family and move almost every year. As a young adult she left her parent’s house and became a Red Cross nurse. She worked as a nurse aid at the Spadina Military Hospital.

Amelia’s fascination with planes began to blossom soon after receiving her job at the Spadina Military Hospital in Canada. While working there she became friends with many pilots who told her about planes and showed her theirs after they were released. As she began to learn more about air planes she went to air circuses to see the pilots fly and perform. After a while of working at the hospital she was finally offered the chance to fly in an air plane and she loved it. Soon after her first ride she was convinced she had to fly one. So she took up a job as a Telephone Clerk to get money for flying lessons. After much hard work and waiting she was able to, with her mother’s help, buy her very own plane on her 25th birthday. Once she had a plane she knew she had to get a flying license, which is exactly what she did. And with that one of the most legendary pilots in our history set to the skies.

For a while she became unable to fly as she would have liked due to certain family matters. Her parents divorced something she had anticipated. To help her mother she sold her plane and bought a yellow sports car and went to live with her mother and sister in Boston. She got a job there as a social worker and taught English to foreigners. She was promoted to a full time social worker and stayed in the house as well. All of the children she saw loved her immensely and enjoyed the time she spent with them, especially when she would drive them around in her car. She liked helping people and teaching them about America and was loved by everyone. A broken engagement also stirred up her life with Sam Chapman. Even though she was no longer engaged the two remained friends.

To those with a strong will a dream will never die, as was the case with Amelia Earhart. She would still fly in her spare time, getting her name in the papers and promoting the social center she worked at. This was how she was discovered. One day as she was working she received a phone call. The man on the phone asked her if she would be willing to do something that would make history in aviation, but could be dangerous. Immediately intrigued they set up a time to meet and discuss the offer. At the meeting he asked her if she would like to be the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. She answered yes. A couple of weeks later she received a message that said she had the job. She accepted at the age of 31.

This was the beginning of all the glorious stories we hear about her to this day. After hearing of her acceptance she was hounded with press and publicity. It was an irregular event with a woman attempting something so out of the ordinary and quite possibly very dangerous. Took off and landed safely in Wales. It was exhilarating and amazing for Amelia but she told herself after the flight that the next time she did something like that she would do it alone. After making this amazing flight flying became a big part of her everyday life. She wrote books on flying and her trips around the U.S. She would fly to places and give lectures about women and flying. She was a strong believer that women should have the same rights as men. True to her competitive nature she worked hard to claim as many records and titles for herself as she could. In a short period of time her name was known nation-wide. Aside from her flying victories she also got married to George Putnam. A year after this she flew across the Atlantic by herself, another first. Soon she evolved to flying around the globe, to many different places, and seeing many amazing sites. Amelia began preparing to fly around the world. She would take the longest route, along the equator. However, the flight did not go as planned and Amelia’s plane went down containing her and 2 passengers, Fred Noonan and Harry Manning. A search party went out but after weeks of fruitless searching it was called off. Amelia and her passengers were never heard from again.

Amelia Earhart inspired so many people. She was an amazing public speaker whose words could spark actions and feeling within almost anyone. Her words were so strong because she meant every word and believed them all with her whole heart and being. People respond to something so full of raw power and emotion, following it. She knew what she was doing was right for her, what she wanted to do and not what everyone else wanted her to be. She had a natural charisma as well that drew people to her modest, nice personality. She was well liked by everyone who met her and could strike a friendship with anyone or inspire anyone who was willing. She was also a very strong believer in women’s rights. She thought that women should have the same rights and privileges as men. But she did not tell people this just through her words, she demonstrated it with her actions, her accomplishments, and her ability. She could do it so why not anyone else? She became a role model for these women to look up to, an icon for a brighter, freer future. She was a symbol to look to and see that they could make something of themselves. Seeing her do everything she did gave them hope and confidence that the future could be different and they could live better lives. She expressed the fact that you can do what you love to do whether you’re young or old, a man or a woman. She drove home the idea that being different isn’t bad, as long as you’re doing what you love. She also started a new era for technology with planes and air transportation. She showed people you can go from place to place by flying, making the first passenger plane in America. She also started carrying products through the air. Her flying sparked new technology in all areas, especially in aviation. She was influential to the 20’s because she moved forward technology and travel and helped to show everyone, men and women alike, that women are just as good as men and you can do whatever you like just as long as you have the will, the courage, and you believe in yourself.

The place you have in this life is not set in stone the moment you are born, as well as your character. You must grow into both, and grow at your own pace and in your own way. “To want in one’s head to do a thing, for its own sake’ to enjoy doing it; to concentrate all of one’s energies upon it-that is not only the surest guarantee of its success. It is also being true to oneself.” Amelia Earhart said this. We can see from the way she lived her life she followed this quote to the letter. Amelia Earhart, while growing up in an era of stereotypes and boxes remained true to herself, her beliefs, and her dreams, pushing that box of previous conceptions to fit her, as well as any woman like her with the will to dream and the dare to act.