Final answer:
The Framers established the Electoral College as they doubted the ability of the average person to make informed choices in presidential elections and wanted to incorporate a system that provided a buffer between the popular vote and the final decision.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Framers of the Constitution had several reasons for establishing the Electoral College. One of their primary concerns was about the average person's ability to select a candidate. They were wary that direct elections by citizens might lead to demagoguery or a lack of informed decision-making. Thus, the Electoral College was designed to act as a buffer between the population and the selection of a President. Electors were expected to be well-informed individuals who could assess the qualifications of the candidates. Moreover, this system was also meant to maintain a balance of power, preventing too much consolidation of power in any one branch of government, notably if the Congress was to elect the President directly.
The correct answer to the student's question is that the Framers established the Electoral College because they had doubts about the average person's ability to select a candidate, and they wanted to ensure a degree of indirect election that could potentially filter the transient impulses of the masses.