What was the purpose of the Seventeenth Amendment, and what arguments were made for and against its passage?

Seventeenth Amendment was made to have direct election of the senators by the voters only and not be state legislatures.

Explanation:

The seventeenth amendment in the constitution of the United States of America was made that there has to be direct election for the senators of the government of the country by the people of the country and they should not be voted by state legislatures.

1) Arguments for this were that it gave more power to the citizens of the country and they could directly select their own choice.

2) The state legislatures were against this because this will not make any majority in the government.