Final answer:
The American public reacted to the Alien and Sedition Acts with division, with Democratic-Republicans opposing them as a threat to liberties and states' rights and Federalists seeing them as essential for national security. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison led the opposition, establishing nullification and states' rights as key principles in American federalism.
Step-by-step explanation:
The American public held two distinct opinions about the Alien and Sedition Acts that reflect the divisions of the period. On the one hand, the Democratic-Republicans saw the acts as a direct attack on individual liberties and a demonstration of the Federalists' desire to suppress free expression and expand the power of the national government at the expense of states' rights. On the other hand, supporters of these measures, including many Federalists, viewed them as necessary for national security during a time of potential conflict with France. These acts led to a historical confrontation between different visions of the role of the federal government and the rights of individuals and states.
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison were vocal opponents of these acts and played a pivotal role in organizing the resistance, which resulted in the VA and KY Resolutions. These resolutions were foundational documents in the American tradition of states challenging federal authority. They introduced the concept of nullification and asserted that states could invalidate federal laws they deemed unconstitutional, which was a radical advancement of states' rights.