Fort Bend County, located on the outskirts of Houston, Texas, is rich in history and culture. The county earned its name in 1837, taking after a blockhouse located at a bend of the Brazos River. Prior to inheriting its name, the county was inhabited by Karankawa Indians, but the tribe was driven to extinction after several violent encounters with settlers.Much of Fort Bend County’s success is bestowed to the use of slavery, for without it the plantations that allowed for such rapid growth would not have thrived. The County’s repeated use of force on both the Karankawa people, and slaves, was a form of securing that it would be economically successful. The Karankawa people were extradited from their land after ongoing conflicts with the colonists, and the slaves were deprived of all humane treatment, yet the settlers quickly earned high socio-economic status.…show more content… In spite of this, little of the inhumanity that occurred in the county is publicly known. The people given credit for the economic success of the county, were merely slave owners who did not shed sweat or tears in the development of the land. The Karankawa Indians, and the slaves that resided the county by a large sum have been stripped of any recognition, in spite of being the prime contributors to the counties success. In order for their success, the early Fort Bend County settlers did not see any other way but to rid themselves of the native tribe. On the other hand, the slaves were taken advantage of because they could offer economic success with little maintenance costs. Consequently, those that led to slave’s continued suffering, and the Karankawa’s extinction were not held responsible for their actions. Furthermore, the slave-owners of Fort Bend County though affected by the abolition of slavery, were able to continue their lives and keep the riches that resulted from the use of
