Amelia Earhart was born on July 24, 1897 in Atchison, Kansas.  In 1914 when Amelia was 17 years old World War I started. Throughout World War I women pilots were only used to ferry plans to different hangers, so that men were available to fight.  Throughout the war Amelia volunteered at a military hospital as a detachment nurse.  Amelia was a leader in women's equality.  She bought her first aircraft in 1923 The Kinner Airster (nicknamed The Canary) and set the Women’s Flying world record of 14,000 feet in 1922.  She got her pilot's license in 1923.  Then in 1932 she became the first women pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic ocean and was awarded the distinguished flying cross for this record.  She disappeared during an attempt to circumnavigate the globe in 1937, at the age of 40.   In her time women pilots were thought to be lesser than male pilots, but Amelia Earhart was able to change that.

 

It is said that most influential history figures have the “it factor”.  The “it factor” is something that makes that person unique.  It isn’t what's on the outside.  It’s the ability to bring groups together to do more.  It is about how they speak, about how they are able to get people to see their passion and to make others passionate as well.  It’s a quality that’s easy to see, but very difficult to define.  To understand what gave Amelia her “it factor” it is important to answer the following questions.: How does Earhart affect the world today? What was Earhart’s life like on a daily basis? What was Earhart’s influence on the political climate during her day?  

 

Aviation History Magazine, in the article Amelia Earhart claims that Amelia Earhart is one of the most prominent icons in the 20th century.  This article supports its claim by first explaining her life story, then showing what she did as a pilot and finally explaining how her life affects us today.  This article’s purpose is to inform people about Amelia Earhart's life and how she affects life today.  It takes an informative tone for aviators, feminist and people interested in Amelia Earhart.

 

    Hilary Masters in her article Amelia Earhart’s Last Landing discusses how Amelia Earhart lived, flew and changed the idea of womens’ rights.  She develops her claim by first explaining a picture that was taken not long before her disappearance, explains her disappearance, explains each part of the picture, then how women pilots were treated and finally, how she lived outside of what was expected of women of her time.  Masters’ purpose is to inform, in order to show how Amelia lived her life and flew her planes.  She creates an excited tone for women pilots and Amelia Earhart's fans/researchers.

 

Tracy Boisseau in her book review on Still Missing: Amelia Earhart and the search for modern feminism suggests how Amelia Earhart’s changed/helped feminism.  She develops her claim by taking quotes throughout the book and explained her life and how she changed feminism.  Then at the end she explained the entire book and gave it a review.  Boisseau’s purpose is to inform people on this book and Amelia Earhart.  She displays an informative tone for readers interested in this book and/or Amelia Earhart.

 

    Amelia Earhart loved to push the limits, do the impossible and show that women could do whatever men could.  This is what gave her the “it factor”.  She didn’t just say women were equal she went out and proved it.  She could bring people together, but she also went out and proved it herself.    “There’s more to life than being a passenger”-Amelia Earhart.  

 

Amelia changed the way women live today.  Without her we could still be fighting for rights.  Her “it factor” can even help people today.  If you are passionate about something, yes getting a group together is important, but to show that you really care, you need to be a part of the change.  Don’t do things from home, get out and help, it speaks volumes about how important it is to you.  It worked for Amelia why can’t it work for you?  “The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tendency”-Amelia Earhart