How did the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution give more political power to the individual voter?

A. It allowed for two senators per state to be elected by popular vote.
Correct! The senators were now elected by the people.

B. It allowed citizens to vote regardless of race, creed, or ethnicity.
Incorrect. The 15th Amendment focuses on race and ethnicity.

C. It freed citizens to vote without paying a poll tax or passing a literacy test.
Incorrect. The 24th Amendment ended poll taxes.

D. It allowed for the number of senators per state to be determined by population.
Incorrect. Senators are NOT based on population of a state, they are based on EQUAL representation, 2 per state.

Progressive Era reformers sought to expand voter participation in government by adopting —

A. initiative, referendum, and recall
Correct! Initiative, referendum, and recall gave citizens more control over their government.

B. tougher literacy tests
Incorrect. Literacy tests limit voter participation.

C. additional poll taxes
Incorrect. Poll taxes limit voter participation.

D. grandfather clause
Incorrect. The clause limited voter participation.

With the passage of the 17th Amendment, senators were chosen by —

A. popular vote
Correct! Senators were elected directly by the people.

B. the president
Incorrect. Senators were elected directly by the people.

C. state legislatures
Incorrect. Senators were elected directly by the people.

D. the electoral college
Incorrect. Senators were elected directly by the people.

Reformers of the Progressive Era sought to reduce corruption in the government by adopting a constitutional amendment that provided —

A. direct election of United States senators
Correct! The 17th Amendment allowed for the voters to decide on who represented them in the government.

B. a maximum of two terms for presidents
Incorrect. This was not a Progressive Era Amendment.

C. term limits on members of Congress
Incorrect. This was not a Progressive Era Amendment.

D. voting rights for African Americans
Incorrect. This was not a Progressive Era Amendment.

Using the information below and your knowledge of social studies, answer the following question —

Which of the following is the most important effect of the Progressive Era reforms of initiative, referendum and recall?

A. Increase participation in government by citizens
Correct! All three political reforms granted voters more political power, which in turn increased the political participation by ordinary citizens.

B. Give political parties more control of the electoral process
Incorrect. Citizens were granted more political control, not political parties.

C. Reduce the influence of the media on elections
Incorrect. All three focused on giving ordinary citizens more political power, not the media.

D. Make the president more responsive to the wishes of Congress
Incorrect. All three focused on giving ordinary citizens more political power, not the president.