Lil Wayne’s Colonial Adventure
Time Travel Itinerary
Prepared for: Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr.
Upon finding a time machine, Dwayne Carter (Lil Wayne) has decided to visit some
of the original 13 colonies. Below is a copy of his itinerary. While you are reading,
list information about each colony that Lil Wayne reveals to you on his
journey – Southern, Middle, Northern and Backcountry (near the Appalachian
Mountains).
Southern Colonies: Virginia, Maryland, Georgia, North and South Carolina
Middle: Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Delaware
Northern: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut
Backcountry: Lay beyond the western borders of the colonies, near the Appalachian
Mountains
Friday, 9:00 AM
Lil Wayne arrives in the Southern Colony of Virginia. He meets a wealthy
plantation owner who explains to him that in Virginia, the way to fame and fortune
is by growing cash crops—crops such as tobacco, rice, or cotton, which can be
exported (sold) for money. All of the Southern colonies rely on cash crops.
Friday, 10:00 AM
The plantation owner takes Lil Wayne on a tour of all of the colony’s biggest
mansions. The rich elite live in these homes and have prospered off of the plantation
land and cash crops.
Friday, 1:00 PM
Lil Wayne is told that indentured servants are becoming scarce. Like the
other southern colonies, Virginia has decided to replace white indentured servants
with a new system: enslaving black people.
Friday, 1:30 PM
Lil Wayne decides that it is time to get as far away from the Southern
Colonies as possible, so he travels North to Massachusetts. With poor roads, no cars,
and no bridges over the rivers this journey should take many days. Luckily, Lil
Wane brought a helicopter from the future.
Friday, 3:45 PM
On his way to Boston, Massachusetts, he stopped to rest in a small town in
Connecticut. Lil Wayne quickly realizes that New England is very different from the
South. Here, there are small farms instead of large plantations. Instead of growing
cash crops the people practice subsistence farming. Each person grows only enough
food for his family. In the New England colonies, the economy is based on farming,
trade, and business.
Friday, 4:30 PM
As soon as he got to Boston, he was hit with a terrible smell. Fish. He saw
fisherman trading their goods and heard the sounds of people building ships from
the forests close by to sail to England. Lil Wayne was relieved to find that there were
few slaves who lived in Boston and many of them were able to purchase their
freedom. However, he saw that due to the need for land to build ships, hunt and own
land, there was lots of violence between colonists and Native American tribes.
Friday, 7:00 PM
What else is there to do on a Friday night? Lil Wayne puts on a concert.
Friday, 7:02 PM
Lil Wayne is arrested for profanity and put in jail (back then the laws were
harsh).
Saturday, 6:00 AM
Just as the sun rises, Lil Wayne rushes off to the Middle Colony where he is
relieved to find that people are more tolerant of one another. Lil Wayne arrives in
Pennsylvania, a Middle Colony. In Pennsylvania he meets a Quaker named John. Lil
Wayne tells John about all the trouble he has had on his trip so far. John tells him
that Quakers do not believe in slavery and that like most Pennsylvanians they are
very accepting of difference. Lil Wayne learns that the Middle Colonies are also very
diverse. There are so many different people with different opinions that everyone
has to learn to respect each other even when they disagree. In addition, the Middle
Colonies are referred to as the “breadbasket” colonies because they produce a lot of
the grain.
Saturday, 8:00 AM
While walking down the street in Philadelphia, Lil Wayne notices the
popularity of the harbor and the enormous trade. He counted close to a dozen
shipyards! He was impressed by the wealth of the city, particularly, the large
statehouse that graced the street.
Saturday, 9:00 AM
Lil Wayne weighs his decision to visit the Backcountry, or the area near the
Appalachian Mountains. However, he decides not to, after hearing that there were
mounting tensions between the colonists, the French and Native Americans. There
are disagreements over land claims and competing fur trading.
Saturday, 10:00 AM
As fun as Lil Wayne’s trip has been, he says goodbye to the 13 colonies and
decides to return home.
YOUR ASSIGNMENT: Write a postcard from Lil Wayne to a friend describing his
reaction on his visit. Be sure to mention all four colonies.