John Jay

John Jay born December 1745 was an American politician, statesman, revolutionary, diplomat, a Founding Father of the United States. He was President of the Continental Congress from 1778 to 1779 and, from 1789 to 1795, the first Chief Justice of the United States. During and after the American Revolution, he was ambassador to Spain and France. He helped to form American foreign policy and secured favorable peace terms from the British and French with the Jay Treaty. He co-wrote the Federalist Papers with Alexander Hamilton and James Madison. Jay was Governor of New York from 1795 to 1801 and aleading opponent of slavery. His first two attempts to pass emancipation legislation failed in 1777 and 1785, but the third succeeded in 1799. The new law he signed into existence eventually saw the emancipation of all New York slaves before his death.

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