Athenian democracy was direct and in-your-face. All citizens gathered together (usually on an outdoor hillside) to argue, debate, and ask questions before they all voted on an issue. Each person had an equal say (one vote) in what the government would do. There was no “separation of government” or elected officials. The citizens of Athens used a simple majority (most votes wins) to decided what to do. The citizens directly created new laws, acted as judges, decided when to go to war, and who to make alliances with. When there were not enough people to make a decision, slaves were sent out to force citizens to show up and vote.