👩🏾‍⚖️ap us government review

Seventeenth Amendment (1913)

Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Verified for the 2027 exam
Verified for the 2027 examWritten by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025

Definition

Provides for the election of U.S. senators by popular vote rather than selection by state legislatures, a constitutional change ratified in 1913 that altered the procedure originally outlined in Article I. By shifting choice to the electorate, it curtailed state-legislative control over the Senate, expanded democratic participation during the Progressive Era, and changed the dynamics of federalism and interest-group influence in senatorial contests.

AP course connection

Topic 3.6: 3.6 Amendments: Balancing Individual Freedom with Public Order and Safety

Unit 3

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