The Crow nation

**ThistleDown** · 30th June 10, 03:03 PM

Originally Posted by Colin MacBean

Agreed. The Americans exploited the native Americans far worse than the British ever did. The British also banned slavery long before them

That being said the British started it all in the first place

Oh good heavens no. The Egyptians made wide use of slave labour; the Romans gathered slaves from as far afield as the Orkneys; the Norse transferred their Celtic and Frank slaves down through Russia and Ukraine into the Byzantine Empire; the Haida cruised the coasts of British Columbia and Washington bringing home forced labour; the Japanese took slaves back to their islands from the nearby coasts of the mainland. It was as it was until the age of enlightment and a new belief in the rights of man. The British may well have had much to do with the ideas that ended slavery, but they certainly didn't begin it even in America.

**Colin MacBean** · 30th June 10, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by Mike_Oettle

Colin Macbean wrote: “The British also banned slavery long before them

That being said the British started it all in the first place

”

Actually, it was the Portuguese who were the great sinners with regard to slavery. They found it in existence in Africa and Asia, but made it a lot worse by applying Roman law on slavery to that status.
The Spanish did likewise in the Americas, and when the Dutch and the British supplanted the Portuguese from many of their African and Oriental possessions, they took over the existing slave system.

All very true

I was responding to the original comment that accused the British as the 'bad' guys and inferred that they were the ones who exploited and oppressed, and in many ways of course they did. When I said they started it all, I was referring to the fact that what is now Canada and America was originally a British colony. So yes one could hate their Mother, but they wouldn't be there to complain if it wasn't for her

**Bugbear** · 30th June 10, 03:35 PM

And don't forget the First Peoples were the first to have slaves in the Americas... The Aztecs as an example, but many others before them.
* Just noticed ThistleDown brings up the "Haida," as well.

**Colin MacBean** · 30th June 10, 06:39 PM

Well I hope everyone enjoyed blowing my vague statement out of context

**Bugbear** · 30th June 10, 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by Colin MacBean

Well I hope everyone enjoyed blowing my vague statement out of context

Sorry about that. It did spawn some interesting discussion, though.

And now you know why I keep citing all these books...

**BoldHighlander** · 30th June 10, 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by ThistleDown

Come "home" anytime, Terry, you will be welcomed with open arms. Hmmmm, yes, but you will have to leave your arms behind

**Bigkahuna** · 30th June 10, 08:14 PM

Originally Posted by BoldHighlander

Indeed

My own Scots-Irish ancestor/great-grandfather married a full-blood Cherokee in the late 1760's in NW North Carolina, prior to moving to East Tennessee. His son (another g-grandfather) married a cousin from the same Cherokee family.

So there you are Cousin. We've been looking for you!!!

**Lallans** · 2nd July 10, 07:54 AM

Originally Posted by ThistleDown

Come "home" anytime, Terry, you will be welcomed with open arms. Hmmmm, yes, but you will have to leave your arms behind

Well perhaps not "behind", but you will have to register the beezlebub out of them, and WILL have to give up anything that appears on a list essentially made up of a few things that have no rhyme or reason but look scary and military. And then Welcome To Canada!