Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions

Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, resolutions in support of states’ rights and civil liberties, passed by the legislatures of Kentucky and Virginia in 1798 and 1799, in response to the Alien and Sedition Acts. The Kentucky Resolutions, drafted by Thomas Jefferson, claimed that the states could declare unconstitutional any congressional acts based on powers not specifically delegated to the federal government. The Virginia Resolutions, drafted by James Madison, declared the same theory in milder form.

See also: Alien and Sedition Acts.