Advanced Placement US History (AP US History) Practice Exam

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Who were the authors of the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions?

  1. Washington and Adams

  2. Hamilton and Jefferson

  3. Jefferson and Madison

  4. Franklin and Hancock

The correct answer is: Jefferson and Madison

The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions were authored by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison as a response to the Alien and Sedition Acts enacted in 1798. These resolutions expressed the idea of states' rights and the principle of nullification, asserting that states had the right to declare unconstitutional federal laws. Jefferson drafted the Kentucky Resolution, while Madison was responsible for the Virginia Resolution. Their writings aimed to counter what they viewed as federal overreach and were pivotal in fostering the conversation about the balance of power between state and federal governments in the early years of the American republic. Understanding the authorship of these documents is crucial, as it reflects the ideological divides of early American politics, particularly between the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans.