Who was John Jay?
(1745-1829), was a distinguished statesman during the early days of the United States. He became the first chief justice of the United States under the U.S. Constitution. Jay’s judgment and fairness and his courage in making unpopular decisions made him a valued diplomat and respected political figure. Jay was born in New York City. He graduated from King’s College (now Columbia University) in 1764. Jay studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1768. He later became a New York delegate to the First and Second Continental Congresses. Jay served as president of the Continental Congress from December 1778 until September 1779, when he was appointed U.S. minister to Spain. He later helped negotiate the Treaty of Paris with Great Britain. This treaty, which ended the Revolutionary War in America, was signed in 1783. When Jay returned to the United States, he found that Congress had chosen him as secretary of foreign affairs. Jay’s experiences as a diplomat in Europe convinced him that the
