Kentucky Resolution

The Kentucky Resolutions, written in 1798 by Thomas Jefferson, were a formal statement opposing certain federal laws, specifically the Alien and Sedition Acts. Jefferson argued that states have the right to review and potentially invalidate laws they believe violate the Constitution. Essentially, the resolutions promoted the idea that states could act as a check on federal authority, supporting the principle of states’ rights and limiting federal power. While they mainly influenced political debate, they also helped shape ideas about the balance of power between state and federal governments in the U.S.