Sortition

High school (ages 12+)
People & Society

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/sortition

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the selection mechanism?Random selection of individuals, often through a lottery or drawing of lots
2. What is the theoretical classification?Often categorized as a method supporting both direct democracy and deliberative democracy
3. How did ancient Athens use sortition?In Athens, citizens drew lots to choose leaders and jurors. It helped make sure power was shared and no single group could control the government.
4. Why do people think sortition is fair?Because everyone has an equal chance to be chosen, it prevents rich or famous people from always winning. It also brings many different voices to decisions.

Sortition: The selection of individuals for public office or jury duty through a random process, such as a lottery.
Ancient Athenian Democracy: A system of government in ancient Athens where citizens participated directly in decision-making, often using sortition.
Deliberative Democracy: A form of democracy emphasizing public deliberation and reasoned argument as the basis for legitimate political decision-making.
Representative Sample: A subset of a population chosen randomly to accurately reflect the characteristics of the entire group.