Fifth Grade
Worksheets
Keepers of the Peace
Imagine you are a lawman in the Wild West. You are not a sheriff; you are a Texas Ranger. You protect people. You investigate crimes. You capture criminals. You don't work in just one town. You must watch over hundreds of square miles.
When Stephen Austin started a colony in the Mexican province of Texas, he needed a way to protect his people. He formed a militia to do this. This militia was the root of what became the Texas Rangers.
Men who joined the militia did not always sign up for long periods of time. Sometimes it was only for a few days or weeks. The first Rangers were paid with land. They had to supply their own horses, weapons, and saddles. Later on, the men were paid with money, but sometimes there was no money and they were not paid at all. They served because they wanted to protect their people and land.
