How Were the Candidates for Presidency Selected for Most of the United

How were the candidates for presidency selected for most of the United States' history?

A) by the wealthy elite who controlled the parties with money and prominent positions
B) by deals that were hashed out between delegates and party officials at the national level
C) by a process that involved primary and caucus results from the state party organizations
D) by a nationwide election for eligible voters to select their preferred candidate