Final answer:
The Ocala Demands called for the direct election of US senators by popular vote, which was a departure from the then-current practice of appointment by state legislatures. This reform aimed at greater democratic representation and reduced corruption influenced the passage of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Ocala Demands were a set of political and economic proposals endorsed by the National Farmers' Alliance and Industrial Union in the late 19th century. One significant aspect of the Ocala Demands was the call for direct election of US senators. At the time, senators were appointed by state legislatures, and the demands sought to change this by instituting a popular vote, which would allow citizens to directly elect their senators. This push for reform was driven by the belief that direct election would lead to fairer representation and reduce corruption and undue influence from special interests. While the Ocala Demands did not immediately lead to changes, they were influential in the eventual passage of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, which established the direct election of US senators.