Growing up as a young girl, Amelia Earhart was encouraged to be independent and to do the things she wanted, whether girls were supposed to or not. She and her younger sister, Muriel, in “gym suits” with bloomers, played with popguns and footballs, and made up adventures in a carriage in the barn, traveling to far-away places in their imaginations. She hated being told she couldn't do something. Amelia saw her first plane at the Iowa State Fair and was not impressed with its spindly wood frames and unimpressive look. In fact, she didn’t become interested in aviation for quite a while.
She went to visit her sister Muriel in Toronto in 1917, but stayed to work as a nurse’s aid in WWI after seeing all of the wounded soldiers. One day in the winter, Amelia visited a military field to watch an aircraft take off. She decided that one day, she wanted to conquer one of "those devil machines.” Amelia began to study in medicine, but decided that it was not for her, so she moved to Los Angeles to be with her family and there she had her first flight at an air show in 1920. Working odd jobs to earn money, Amelia began flying lessons with Neta Snook in January of 1921.
She went to visit her sister Muriel in Toronto in 1917, but stayed to work as a nurse’s aid in WWI after seeing all of the wounded soldiers. One day in the winter, Amelia visited a military field to watch an aircraft take off. She decided that one day, she wanted to conquer one of "those devil machines.” Amelia began to study in medicine, but decided that it was not for her, so she moved to Los Angeles to be with her family and there she had her first flight at an air show in 1920. Working odd jobs to earn money, Amelia began flying lessons with Neta Snook in January of 1921.