Who Wrote The Kentucky Resolution

The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions were written past James Madison and Thomas Jefferson in response to the Alien and Sedition Acts. The Resolutions established the idea of Nullification.

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James Madison, Painting — James Madison secretly authored the Virginia Resolutions. Prototype Source: Wikipedia.

The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions were written by James Madison and Thomas Jefferson in response to the Alien and Sedition Acts. The Resolutions established the idea of Nullification.

Summary of the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions (or Resolves), also known as the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, were a written protest confronting the Conflicting and Sedition Acts. The Resolutions were passed past the state legislatures of Kentucky and Virginia in response to the acts passed past Congress in 1798, nether the control of the Federalist Political party. Founding Father John Adams was President at the fourth dimension. Adams was as well a fellow member of the Federalist Political party.

The acts were passed during a time when the U.s. was notwithstanding a new republic and political parties were yet relatively new. It was besides a fourth dimension when tension with France was high due to a political scandal known every bit the XYZ Matter. The scandal contributed to the Quasi-War, which was an undeclared naval war with France that lasted from 1798 to 1800. The acts targeted aliens — or foreigners — and people who openly criticized President Adams and his administration.

John Adams was President of the U.s. when the Alien and Sedition Acts were passed. Image Source: Wikipedia.

In all, there were ten people — all critics of the Federalist policies — convicted for violating the Sedition Deed. One of the people indicted for stirring up sedition was Republican Congressman Matthew Lyon from Vermont. Lyon was a harsh critic of President Adams and was constitute guilty of sedition and put in jail. Lyon ran for Congress and ran his campaign from jail. Lyon was re-elected.

The Resolutions were secretly written by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison — both Founding Fathers — and they challenged the Conflicting and Sedition Acts on the grounds that they went across the powers specifically given to the federal authorities by the United States Constitution. In the Resolutions, Jefferson and Madison introduced the concept of Nullification. It was an idea that said private states had the ability to declare federal legislation null and void when it went across the powers given to the federal government in the Constitution.

The concept of Nullification came to the forefront in the 1830s when Southern states disagreed with tariffs the government put in place on imports from Britain. The tariffs benefitted manufacturers in the Northern states and forced Southerners to buy more than expensive products. The tariffs fueled Sectionalism and the growing split up between the North and the South.

South Carolina used political means to protest the tariffs and based its argument on Nullification. It was very similar to how colonists responded to the Sugar Human action of 1764 because they chose to utilize words to oppose the laws of the government instead of forcefulness.

Issue of the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

Although all the other states rejected Kentucky and Virginia'south telephone call to join their challenge of federal authority at the time, the concept of nullification was invoked in subsequently disputes involving states' rights, most notably those centered on the issue of slavery.

The Alien and Sedition Acts were unpopular, and the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions helped fuel the opposition. The outrage over the acts led to the election of Thomas Jefferson as President in 1800. Jefferson pardoned everyone who was bedevilled for crimes under the Alien Enemies Deed and the Sedition Act.

The thought of Nullification set a precedent for South Carolina to oppose the Tariff of 1832 by enacting the S Carolina Ordinance of Nullification. This led to the Nullification Crisis which saw President Andrew Jackson mobilize Federal troops in South Carolina and about started a civil war.

Significance of the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions were of import because they established the concept of Nullification. Although no other states supported the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions at the time, some states did invoke Nullification after on in defense of their positions regarding the Embargo Human action of 1807, the War of 1812, federal tariffs, and, most notably, the result of slavery. By establishing the concept of Nullification, the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions are considered to be a cause of the Civil State of war, which took place from 1861 to 1865.

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions — Quick Facts for Kids

Facts almost the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, including dates, participants, purpose, effect, and other interesting details you might not know. This fact canvass provides a quick overview of the topic and is for kids doing research and students preparing for the AP U.S. History (APUSH) exam.

Definition

The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions were a serial of resolutions passed past Virginia and Kentucky in 1798 and 1799 in protest of the Alien and Sedition Acts.

Alien and Sedition Acts

In 1798, the U.s.a. Congress passed 4 laws, collectively known as the Alien and Sedition Acts.
The provisions of the acts placed new restrictions on aliens living in the U.Due south. and made it illegal to make false or libelous statements well-nigh the federal government or the President.

Opposition to the Conflicting and Sedition Acts

Members of the Democratic-Republican Party believed that the Alien and Sedition Acts were aimed at silencing them and their criticism of the President.
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison worked together and wrote resolutions that opposed the Alien and Sedition Acts.

Kentucky Resolutions

On Nov 16, 1798, the Kentucky state legislature passed a resolution challenging the Alien and Sedition Acts.
The Kentucky Resolution of 1798 declared the Alien and Sedition Acts to be "void and of no force."
The Kentucky legislature passed a second resolution on December iii, 1799.
The Kentucky Resolution of 1799 introduced the term "nullification" and was a response to states who rejected the 1798 Resolution.
Together, the ii acts are known equally the Kentucky Resolutions.
Thomas Jefferson is typically viewed as the author of the Kentucky Resolutions.

Thomas Jefferson wrote the Kentucky Resolutions. Image Source: Wikipedia.

Virginia Resolutions

On December 24, 1798. the Virginia state legislature passed a resolution challenging the Alien and Sedition Acts.
James Madison secretly authored the Virginia Resolution.

The Resolutions Claiming the Dominance of the Federal Government

Jefferson and Madison challenged the Alien and Sedition Acts on the grounds that they went across the powers specifically granted to the federal authorities in the U.S. Constitution.
They believed that such an extension of federal power was an encroachment on states' rights.

The Main Idea of the Resolutions Was Nullification

Jefferson and Madison argued that the United States was formed as a compact betwixt the states and that the Constitution established the rules of that meaty.
If the federal government, afterward, passed legislation that went across the powers specifically delegated to it in the Constitution, so the legislation was null and void.
The thought that states could declare federal legislation zip and void is known as the doctrine of nullification.

A Crusade of the American Civil War

The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions challenged the authority of the Federal regime and established the concept of Nullification. The ideas constitute in the Resolutions contributed to the thought procedure of politicians in Southern states who protested Federal laws and eventually ceded from the Union — a directly cause of the Ceremonious War.

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions Videos

These videos from the Bill of Rights Institute help explicate the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, and answer the question, "Who determines the constitutionality of laws?"