it was already here.*

Slavery was practiced in virtually every part of the world by all races back then, including the Native Americans. It's still going on in some places like Somalia today. For all its faults, Western Civilization was perhaps the first to address slavery and abolish it.

Today, we rightly look at slavery as abhorent. Go back 500 years ago to Columbus's day and it was virtually unquestioned as a part of normal life. I believe it's a mistake to judge historical figures strictly by modern standards of behavior and belief. I believe we need to view them within the context of their times.

*
See Ruby, Robert H., and John A. Brown. Indian Slavery in the Pacific Northwest. Spokane, Washington: Arthur H. Clark Company, 1993. E 78 .N78 .R83 1993
This book incorporates material from all known reports about Indian slavery in the Pacific Northwest. Indexed are references to both the Lummi and Nooksack tribes.