History

The Hunger Games started as a result of the then thirteen districts rebelling against the Capitol. They were good and strong together, but when District 13 got blown up by the Capitol the districts retreated in fear and submitted back into the Capitol's control. Ever since the rebellion the Capitol forces one girl and one boy from each of the twelve remaining districts to participate in the Hunger Games. The event is televised by hidden cameras in the arena, everything is shown live, and it is a mandatory program that everyone must watch. Every year, 24 children are put against each other. Every year, 23 children die and only one survives.

Map of a portion of Panem created by a fan.
Click here for Artist.

Fan Art picture of the Reaping.
Artist Unknown.

Process

The children are selected through a process called the Reaping. The Reaping is required to be treated like a festival and is held once every year. There are two sections and two glass balls, one for each gender. Within the glass the balls are slips of paper with children’s names from 12 to 18 years of age. At the age of 12, every child is required to add their name once to the reaping, twice when they turn 13, three times when they turn 14 and so on till they turn 18. The children also have the choice of additionally adding their names to the reaping in exchange for oil and grain for their families. When the day of the Reaping comes about, the representative of each district chooses two names out of the balls, one boy and one girl. The owners of the names are then entered into the Games without choice, unless someone volunteers to take their place.