A Level History - America - Practice Exam

The focus of the 17th Amendment is indeed on providing for the direct election of senators. Ratified in 1913, this amendment established that U.S. Senators would be elected by the voters of each state rather than being chosen by state legislatures. This change was significant because it aimed to enhance democratic principles and reduce corruption and backdoor deals that characterized the previous system. The move towards direct elections was part of a broader Progressive Era reform effort to make government more accountable to the people and to ensure that senators better reflected the will of their constituents.