Which amendment established direct election of U.S. Senators by the people?

• A. 19th Amendment
• B. 17th Amendment
• C. 15th Amendment
• D. 25th Amendment

Answer: (B)

Direct election of U.S. Senators by the people was a Progressive Era reform that moved power from state legislatures to voters, aiming to reduce corruption and make the Senate more responsive to the public. The Seventeenth Amendment, ratified in 1913, established that Senators are elected by popular vote in each state rather than chosen by the state legislature. This change broke the relationship where political bargains in state capitals could influence who sat in the Senate, and it tied Senate representation more directly to the will of citizens. The other amendments address different votes and issues: extending voting rights to women, prohibiting voting discrimination based on race, and clarifying presidential succession and disability, respectively. So, the move to direct popular election for Senators comes from the Seventeenth Amendment.