Principles of ’98: Rooted in the American Revolution
In response to the hated Alien and Sedition Acts, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison drafted the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions of 1798, sometimes referred to as the “Principles of ‘98.” But the principles behind them were nothing new – they were part of a...
The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions: Introduction to Nullification
The Constitution placed strict limits on the federal government. What do we do when it oversteps its bounds? Imagine that Congress passes, and the president signs, a series of laws granting the executive branch the power to deport non-citizens or immigrants from...
The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions Were Just a Starting Point
In 1798, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison penned the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, formally articulating the principles of nullification for the first time. But the resolutions weren’t the end of the story. In fact, they were intended as a starting point....