Final answer:
The Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, passed in 1913, changed the election of U.S. Senators from being selected by state legislatures to a system of direct popular vote.
This shift towards direct election of senators arose from the need to address corruption and enhance democratic representation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The 17th Amendment and the Direct Election of Senators
The amendment in question is the Seventeenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. This significant amendment was passed in 1913 and fundamentally changed the process by which United States Senators were elected.
Instead of being elected by state legislatures, senators would be elected by direct popular vote of the citizens in each state. The amendment was a response to the growing public dissatisfaction with the corruption and cronyism that often influenced the selection of senators under the prior system.
Prior to the Seventeenth Amendment, the United States followed a bicameral legislative process established by the Constitution wherein the House of Representatives was elected directly by the people and the Senate was appointed by state legislatures.
This system endured until the early 20th century when scandals surrounding senatorial elections led to a public outcry for reform. The new amendment provided a more democratic and transparent process, aligning the election of senators with the election of representatives, both of which were to be determined by the people's vot
The amendment stated, "The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two senators from each state, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each senator shall have one vote."
As a result of this change, the direct election of senators served to enhance the representative nature of the federal government, making senators more directly accountable to their constituents.