Specific issues discussed in the assembly included deciding military and financial magistracies, organising and maintaining food supplies, initiating legislation and political trials, deciding to send envoys, deciding whether or not to sign treaties, voting to raise or spend funds, and debating military matters. The assembly could also vote to ostracise from Athens any citizen who had become too powerful and dangerous for the . In this case there was a secret ballot where voters wrote a name on a piece of broken pottery . An important element in the debates was freedom of speech which became, perhaps, the citizen's most valued privilege. After suitable discussion, temporary or specific decrees were adopted and laws defined. The assembly also ensured decisions were enforced and officials were carrying out their duties correctly.
1. <span>Direct democracy – Athenian democracy was a form of direct democracy as opposed to representative democracy. In a society based on direct democracy all men over 18 years of age were required to participate in government, had freedom of speech, and were considered to be equal participants in civil life. They were required to attend meetings, or assemblies, on a regular basis in order to ensure the democratic ideals were upheld. 2.</span><span>The first of the governing bodies was called the ekklesia. This section of government dealt with foreign policy and defense. In addition, this group wrote the laws that the Athenians lived by. 3.</span><span>The second section of the government was called the boule. There were ten Athenian tribes, and the boule was comprised of members of each of the tribes. This ensured each tribe had equal input into Athenian life. 4.</span><span>The final section of the Athenian democracy was the diasteria. The disk asteria was the judicial system for Athens. Each year men were chosen, through a lottery system, to act as jurors. The citizenry presented their cases before the jurors who adjudicated them.</span>
