Final answer:
The founders established the Electoral College as a compromise to select the U.S. President, balancing between direct popular vote and Congressional selection and ensuring a degree of separation between the electorate and the presidential election.
Step-by-step explanation:
The founders created the Electoral College to select the President of the United States. They devised this system during the Constitutional Convention in 1787 as a compromise between electing the President by popular vote and selecting the President by Congress, thereby preserving separation of powers and checks and balances. In this system, each state is allocated a number of electors equal to its total number of Senators and Representatives in Congress. These electors cast votes to determine the President, thus serving as a buffer between the population and the selection of a President.
The creation of the Electoral College was also meant to prevent the potential for corruption and intrigue that could arise if the President was chosen by Congress, and to protect against the potential tyranny of a direct democracy. Over time, political parties and the public's role in the electoral process have evolved, significantly changing the way candidates are nominated and the dynamics of the presidential election.