Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions
Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions were two resolutions passed by the state legislatures of Kentucky and Virginia, respectively, in 1798. The author of Virginia Resolutions was James Madison, while the Kentucky Resolutions were written by Thomas Jefferson. These two documents were written in response of the Alien and Sedition Acts, which was passed by Congress during the administration of John Adams. The Acts limited freedom of speech and placed stringent restrictions on immigrants. Both resolutions not only condemned the Acts as unconstitutional, but also asserted that individual states could nullify federal laws deemed to be unconstitutional. They later became important document supporting states' rights, and was invoked during the Nullification Crisis by John C. Calhoun.