Amelia Eahart

A portrait of Amelia Earhart

Of the many accomplishments made during the early 1900's, Amelia Earhart's adventures in flight are among the greatest. Amelia Earhart grew up in the care of her grandmother, but often visited her parents. She was born on July 24th, 1897 in Atchison, Kansas to Amy Otis Earhart and Edwin Stanton Earhart. Her most amazing feats include flying as the first woman solo pilot across the Atlantic Ocean, setting the women's altitude record, and the ever-famous attempt to fly around the world. Amelia possesses heroic qualities because she helped the American People to make advances in aviation, and she didn't fear putting herself in risky situations for the pure love of flight.

Amelia in her plane with her aviation equipment.

Amelia acted as a feisty, daring woman who didn’t let the clasp of society stand in her way. She used her daring personality to propel her towards her goals in life. For example, as Amelia grew up, “she loved daredevil stunts, such as jumping off a metal tower with a parachute” (UXL Biographies). Even though most people then, and even now would think that such things are totally bizarre, Amelia did them anyway, just to see what it was like. After accomplishing flight for many years, she shocked the public when, “on June 1, Amelia began her second world flight attempt” (George Palmer Putnam Collection of Amelia Earhart Papers) Despite all of society’s reactions to this kind of news, Amelia went ahead with her plan and set out to fly around the world.

Amelia next to her one her planes.

Aside from her willingness to put herself in dicey situations, Amelia also had a flexible, and creative side. She constantly shows an inclination to try new things, despite what others might think. At one point, “Amelia launched a fashion house to manufacture and market clothing designed by her” (George Palmer Putnam Collection of Amelia Earhart Papers). Even though Amelia was already a pilot, and had most of her life already set out for her, she made the choice to try something different. Amelia also “took First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt on a flight over Washington D.C.” and “escorted her around the White House grounds in a race car” (UXL Biographies). She though outside-of-the-box and didn’t tell herself that she couldn’t do something, just because it might’ve seemed a little strange or odd to someone.

A portait of Amelia in her more normal clothes.

Amelia explored her intrepid side, and channeled it into self-confidence and will power in her many flights around the world. She reached more of her dreams than most people did back then, and most people do today. Because she stayed true to herself, Amelia succeeded in becoming “the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic” (George Palmer Putnam Collection of Amelia Earhart Papers). At the time Amelia lived, she received a lot of sexist comments, and doubts by important male figures in America, but she didn’t let them get her down. Setting the “women’s altitude record: 14,000 feet” (George Palmer Putnam Collection of Amelia Earhart Papers) was another accomplished goal Amelia reached in her short-lived life. Amelia sparks inspiration in people because her actions and accomplishments communicate to today’s generations that one should embrace their adventurous side, and learn to use one’s quirks to his or her advantage.