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"One of the outer districts, this is nonetheless a crucial one. These brave and hardy workers descend deep into the earth each day to mine the coal that keeps our nation running."
—Description[src]

District 12 was the smallest and poorest of the thirteen districts of Panem. Located in Appalachia,[3] it had a population of around 8,000 people prior to being firebombed by the Capitol.[1] District 12's main industry is coal mining, but after the Second Rebellion, their main industry was converted to medicine. District 12 is the home of victors Katniss Everdeen, Peeta Mellark, Haymitch Abernathy, and Lucy Gray Baird.

History

Relationship with the Hunger Games

Since District 12 was the poorest of Panem's districts, its tributes were almost guaranteed a quick death. Prior to the 74th Hunger Games, the district had produced only two victors.[1] Most of its tributes were malnourished and impoverished, unaccustomed to the glamour of the Capitol.[3]

Most District 12 tributes were inexperienced with weapons compared to other districts, holding them at a major disadvantage since their residents were only allowed to become miners at 18.[4] Sponsors typically refused to support District 12 tributes given how rarely they had succeeded in the past.

10th Hunger Games

Main article: 10th Hunger Games

Lucy Gray Baird became the district's first victor.[5] Around the time of the reaping, Arlo Chance set off an explosion in the coal mines in an attempt to sabotage production and possibly get the rebellion going again. His attempt was not successful and he ended up killing three men: two District 12 bosses and a Peacekeeper. He was executed a month later at the hanging tree,[6] inspiring Lucy Gray to write "The Hanging Tree" song.[7]

50th Hunger Games

Haymitch Abernathy became the district's second victor in the second Quarter Quell, which had double the number of tributes.[8] He was the first of 12's victors to move into the Victors' Village, and he would be the first and only one to mentor future tributes.[9]

74th Hunger Games

Main article: 74th Hunger Games

Most notably, the Gamemakers introduced a rule change that would allow for district partners to win together if they were the last two people remaining.[10] However, when they attempted to retract the rule at the last second, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark threatened double suicide with deadly nightlock berries. Faced with the possibility of having no victor at all, the Capitol allowed them both to live. This made Katniss and Peeta the first pair of victors in the history of the Games, and the third and fourth victors from District 12.[11]

During the Games, Greasy Sae started up a collection to sponsor Katniss and Peeta, and once they survived into the final eight, reporters came looking for personal stories and friends of theirs. Katniss having a close male friend could have undermined her onscreen romance with Peeta, so "some genius" devised the false story that Gale Hawthorne was her cousin.[9]

Aftermath

The stunt with the berries inflamed rebellious sentiment across the country,[12] and uprisings broke out in other districts in the wake of Katniss and Peeta's Victory Tour.[13] Soon after Katniss and Peeta's return to 12, the Peacekeeper presence was increased— most notably with its brutal new Head Peacekeeper, Romulus Thread. Within a few days of his arrival, machine gun nests were set up around the square, as well as a whipping post, several stockades, and a gallows. Peacekeepers also burned down the Hob. The mines were closed down for two weeks, and the district experienced food shortages: crucial tessera grain deliveries never came, and the monthly food parcels the district was owed for its victory arrived spoiled and "defiled" by rodents. Offenses that would have been ignored before were now punished viciously.[14]

Katniss in the rubble of District 12's Justice Building.

Katniss in the rubble of District 12's Justice Building.

Second Rebellion

Following the events of the third Quarter Quell, the Capitol bombed District 12,[15] only sparing the Victors' Village. Led by Gale, escaping citizens were able to tear down the fence between the district and the woods and evacuate about 800 people to the lake. The survivors were rescued three days later by District 13 hovercraft; however, the majority of the district's people were killed in the firebombing.[16]

After its destruction, the rebels utilized District 12 as a transportation base to send troops to the Capitol. Katniss and the rest of Squad 451 were taken there before being transported to the Capitol by cargo train.[17]

Reconstruction

After Panem's second war, Katniss and Haymitch returned to District 12, and Peeta eventually returned as well. A mass grave was dug for victims of the bombing, and a medicine factory was constructed as District 12 began to rebuild.[18]

Location and geography

According to the map of Panem featured in The Hunger Games Adventures, District 12 is located in the northeast of North America. Its territory corresponds primarily to the U.S. states of Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia. Historically, this region is known for its strong coal mining industry and its extensive coal beds, particularly in West Virginia and Kentucky, which ties well with the district's industry. However, given District 12's small population and the fact the entirety of its citizenry reside within a single settlement, the district likely remains largely uninhabited, with the probable exception of several coal mines scattered throughout its territory.

District 12 bordered four districts: District 13 (to the northeast), District 8 (to the south and southwest), District 11 (to the south), District 3 (to the northwest).

Areas and places

The Seam

Main article: The Seam
Katniss in the Seam

Katniss in the Seam

"District Twelve. Where you can starve to death in safety."
—Katniss Everdeen[src]

The Seam was the poorest part of District 12 where the Everdeen and Hawthorne families lived. It was located on the border adjacent to the unmanaged woodland around District 12. Food was extremely difficult to acquire and many families lived in abject poverty. Many who lived there lost families due to mining accidents or from starvation. Katniss mentioned that they only had electricity a few hours a day, so they mostly used candles for light. As a result, any adult who reached elderhood was venerated. In contrast, those who were well fed and young were scorned.

Early in the mornings, the streets of the Seam were crowded with exhausted coal miners heading to work, who faced the lethal risks of collapsing caverns and the odorless but noxious fumes of carbon monoxide on a daily basis. One safeguard in the mines was a canary who would sing - when the canary went silent, it indicated the mine air was no longer safe to breathe. With the primary outputs of coal in the region, everything in the Seam seemed to be coated in a layer of coal dust.

Residents of the Seam typically had straight black hair, olive skin, and gray eyes.[1]

The bakery

The bakery

Town square/merchant section

Main article: Merchant

The square was where District 12's merchant class lived, above their places of work. One notable shop was the bakery.[19] Merchants' appearances distinguished them from residents of the Seam, as they typically had blonde hair and blue eyes. The mayor and his family were seemingly counted among their ranks, and their own house was nearby. All the district's citizens would be forced to gather in the square to watch that year's annual reaping, which took place on the stage out front of the Justice Building.[1]

Justice Building

The Justice Building was used for formal administrative tasks, including marriage registrations. Tributes had an hour to say goodbye to their loved ones inside,[3] and the eldest children of miners killed in accidents received medals of honor here, including Katniss and Gale.[19]

The Hob

Main article: The Hob

The Hob was District 12's black market, notably where Katniss and Gale sold or traded their excess game. Many things were available for purchase or trade at the Hob, including Greasy Sae's soup, goats, or white liquor made by Ripper. It was burned down by Peacekeepers in Catching Fire.[14]

Victors' Village

Main article: Victors' Village

The Victors' Village is a small area where the victors of previous Hunger Games dwell. The houses are grand and luxurious compared to the rest of District 12; however, the village was wholly neglected for years due to a lack of victors in District 12, housing only three victors in the span of 75 Hunger Games: Katniss Everdeen and her family, Peeta Mellark, and Haymitch Abernathy. The only other victor from District 12, Lucy Gray Baird, had won her Games and disappeared before the village was constructed.

Fence

Main article: Fence
D12 fence

Katniss standing beside the District 12 fence.

The sole settlement of District 12 was surrounded by a twenty-foot high electric fence, though it was rarely on due to power shortages. While officials informed the public that the fence was meant to ward away wild animals, it was more likely to prevent people from escaping out into the wilderness.[1] This seems to be supported by the fact that the fence did not exist at the time of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. When Romulus Thread became Head Peacekeeper of District 12, the fence's electricity was reactivated.[20] It was later torn down by escaping refugees.[16]

Meadow

Main article: The Meadow

This scruffy field just inside the fence sits near Katniss Everdeen's house in the Seam. A number of plants and flowers grow there, both edible and medicinal. This was Katniss's main entry point into the woods.[1] After the war, it became a mass grave for those who died in the bombing,[18] but the plants there regrew.[21]

Other locations

Other notable locations included the hanging tree,[18] the school,[1] and west and east entrances to the mines.[22]

Culture

Katniss performing the three-finger salute

Katniss performing the three-finger salute

Three-finger salute

The three-finger salute is a symbol made with the three middle fingers of your left hand, bringing them to your lips, and then holding them out to another person. In District 12, it's an expression of admiration, gratitude, and a way to say goodbye to someone you love.[19] The sign is later picked up by rebels in other districts.[23]

Special occasions

Weddings

"Maybe it's old-fashioned, but no one really feels married in District 12 until after the toasting."
—Katniss Everdeen[src]

Weddings in District 12 were simple events conducted with humble materials. Traditionally, women would rent a well-worn white dress, while men donned clothing outside of their normal mining clothes. The couple would register as spouses at the Justice Building to be assigned a home. For a ceremony, there would be a small gathering of close friends and family members enjoying a meal and if available, a piece of cake. The reception would then sing a traditional song to welcome the couple into their new home as they crossed the threshold. Afterwards, the newlyweds would make their first fire and do the traditional toasting of bread to share together.[24]

Harvest Festival

The Harvest Festival is always celebrated on the last day of the Victory Tour, typically observed with a meal at home or with a few friends if one can afford it.[13] As decoration, people affix bunches of brightly colored corn to their front doors.[9] For the conclusion of the tour, Harvest Festival celebrations were a public affair put on by the Capitol.[13]

New Year's Day

A bell was always rung in the Justice Building on New Year's Day.[25] It was also seen as an occasion special enough to warrant a cake from the bakery, if one could afford it.[26]

The Covey

Main article: Covey

At the time of the prequel, a nomadic minority group known as the Covey had been forced to settle in District 12.[27] They had a number of their own unique cultural practices, such as their names, colorful clothes, and musical performances. Some of their songs, like "Deep in the Meadow" and "The Hanging Tree", still survived at the time of the trilogy through Katniss.[10][28] District 12's first victor, Lucy Gray Baird, was Covey.

Known tributes

Tributes

Victors

In the history of the Games, there have only been four victors from District 12.[1][11]

  • Lucy Gray Baird - Victor of the 10th Hunger Games,[5] mentored by Coriolanus Snow.[31]
  • Haymitch Abernathy - Victor of the 50th Hunger Games.[30]
  • Katniss Everdeen - Co-victor of the 74th Hunger Games, and tribute in the 75th Hunger Games, mentored by Haymitch.[11]
  • Peeta Mellark - Co-victor of the 74th and tribute in the 75th Hunger Games, mentored by Haymitch.[11]

Escorts

An unidentified woman was the District 12 escort during the 50th Hunger Games,[30] and their last escort was Effie Trinket, a bubbly, pink-haired, air-headed lady from the Capitol.[1] Effie was reluctant and slightly unwelcoming to the tributes, feeling she was bound to be promoted to a better district.

Trivia

Victor trivia

  • District 12's three living victors have all killed Careers: Katniss killed Glimmer, Marvel, Cato, Gloss, and a District 4 female; Peeta killed Brutus; and Haymitch killed three unnamed Careers, including the District 1 female.
    • The three living victors have all competed in a Quarter Quell: Haymitch in the second, and Katniss and Peeta in the third.
    • They have also each comforted a dying female tribute in their last moments. Katniss comforted Rue,[10] Peeta comforted the female morphling,[32] and Haymitch comforted Maysilee.[30]
      • Although Lucy Gray didn't comfort another female tribute, she comforted her dying ally and district partner, Jessup.[33]
  • All four of District 12's victors were allies with their district partners (Lucy Gray and Jessup, Haymitch and Maysilee, and Katniss and Peeta).
    • Each won their first Hunger Games at the age of 16.
    • Each of them has also done something that made the Capitol look foolish: Katniss and Peeta threatened suicide by nightlock berries, forcing the Capitol to crown them both as victors;[11] Haymitch weaponized the arena's force field against the girl from District 1;[30] and Lucy Gray and her mentor Coriolanus Snow cheated, smuggling rat poison in a silver compact and planting her scent in a tank of snake mutts so they wouldn't attack her.[34]

Tribute trivia

  • Maysilee Donner is the only known District 12 tribute to make it to the top five who did not survive to become a victor.[30]
  • In the original script for the first film, the District 12 male in the 73rd Hunger Games was named Sage Blanken, and his parents were associates of Katniss at the Hob. He survived to Day 2 before being killed by the District 3 male.[35]

General trivia

  • The Harvest Festival bears several similarities to Thanksgiving, such as a shifting date of celebration, its observation through a family meal, and harvest-themed decorations. As a result, it's possible it may take place in November like American Thanksgiving.
  • Henry River Mill Village in Hickory, North Carolina was used as a filming location for a number of District 12 scenes in the first film, including the Everdeen house and the Mellarks' bakery.[36] The village's onscreen fame later led to its purchase and use in tours, both for fans of the film and those interested in the place's history.
  • District 12 scenes for The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes were filmed at Landschaftspark in Duisburg, Germany.
  • According to The Hunger Games Adventures, District 12 is located on the East Coast of Panem and is the smallest district by size.
  • According to Capitol.PN, District 12 had 15 mines in operation with a population of 7,935, making it the smallest of the twelve operational districts in population.
  • Also according to the site, District 12 claims 862,568 in tesserae, the most of any district.
    • If the population was 7,935 and they claimed 862,568 tesserae, that would equal to 108.704 tesserae per person. The unbalanced ratio suggests that this number represents tesserae claims throughout the 75 years of the games and not an annual number, or that all the children in the district claim them, essentially nullifying the social control aspect and hazard of signing up for them.
    • The second poorest district in terms of tesserae, District 10, has an average of just over 15 tesserae per person. If this is true, then District 12 is suggested to be far more poor than all the other districts.
  • Based on the arena wear for the 74th Hunger Games, the district's color seems to be black (#000000 –    ).[37]
    • It is possible that, after the Second Rebellion, the district's color changed to light teal (#3fbcae -    ) in order to align it more with its changed industry.[citation needed]

Gallery

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 The Hunger Games, Chapter 1
  2. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 The Hunger Games, Chapter 3
  4. Catching Fire, Chapter 23
  5. 5.0 5.1 The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Chapter 20
  6. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Chapter 22
  7. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Chapter 24
  8. Catching Fire, Chapter 3
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 Catching Fire, Chapter 1
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 The Hunger Games, Chapter 18
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 The Hunger Games, Chapter 25
  12. Catching Fire, Chapter 2
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 Catching Fire, Chapter 6
  14. 14.0 14.1 Catching Fire, Chapter 9
  15. Catching Fire, Chapter 27
  16. 16.0 16.1 Mockingjay, Chapter 1
  17. Mockingjay, Chapter 18
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 Mockingjay, Chapter 27
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 The Hunger Games, Chapter 2
  20. Catching Fire, Chapter 10
  21. Mockingjay, Epilogue
  22. Catching Fire, Chapter 11
  23. Catching Fire, Chapter 4
  24. Catching Fire, Chapter 17
  25. Catching Fire, Chapter 20
  26. The Hunger Games, Chapter 7
  27. 27.0 27.1 The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Chapter 4
  28. Mockingjay, Chapter 9
  29. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Chapter 2
  30. 30.0 30.1 30.2 30.3 30.4 30.5 30.6 Catching Fire, Chapter 14
  31. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Chapter 1
  32. Catching Fire, Chapter 22
  33. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Chapter 17
  34. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Chapter 18
  35. https://www.screenwritersnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/The-Hunger-Games-1-Script.pdf
  36. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1392170/locations/?item=lc2220133&ref_=ext_shr_lnk
  37. File:Anatomy of an arena costume.jpg
The Hunger Games trilogy
Novels The Hunger GamesCatching FireMockingjay
Main Characters Katniss EverdeenPeeta MellarkGale HawthorneHaymitch AbernathyEffie Trinket
Supporting Characters Primrose EverdeenPresident SnowCinnaMrs. EverdeenMr. EverdeenPresident CoinClaudius TemplesmithCaesar FlickermanMadge UnderseePaylorPlutarch HeavensbeeSeneca Crane
Tributes MarvelGlimmerCatoCloveFoxfaceThreshRueMaysilee DonnerTitus
Past Victors Augustus BraunAnnie CrestaBeetee LatierBlightBrutusCashmereCeceliaChaffEnobariaFinnick OdairGlossJohanna MasonLymeMags FlanaganMorphlingsPorter Millicent TrippSeederWiressWoof
Groups RebellionGamemakersPrep teamTributesVictors
Locations PanemThe CapitolDistrict 1District 2District 3District 4District 5District 6District 7District 8District 9District 10District 11District 12District 13
Behind the Scenes Suzanne CollinsGary RossFrancis Lawrence
Films The Hunger Games (film)Catching Fire (film)Mockingjay - Part 1Mockingjay - Part 2
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