Final answer:
The 17th Amendment was a progressive reform that allowed for the direct election of U.S. Senators by citizens, increasing democratic participation and addressing corrupt election practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
The 17th Amendment to the Constitution was a key progressive reform designed to expand democracy by allowing voters instead of state legislators to elect U.S. Senators. This amendment, ratified in 1913, came about due to public dissatisfaction with the earlier method where senators were perceived as being chosen for reasons of personal connection or business association rather than qualifications.
In addition to increasing citizen participation in the electoral process, the Seventeenth Amendment also made the election of senators match the way representatives are elected to the House of Representatives—by a direct vote of the people. This reform was a response to corrupt practices and was part of a broader movement by Progressives and others, including William Jennings Bryan and the Populist Party, to make the government more accountable and representative of the people's will.