John Jay (1745-1829) was a founder who contributed to the Federalist Papers, served as the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and shaped the foreign policy of the early Republic. Born in New York, Jay studied law and opened his own practice. He attended both Continental Congresses, where he at first sought reconciliation with Great Britain, but eventually endorsed revolution. Jay was one of the signatories to the Treaty of Paris in 1783 which ended the Revolutionary War and secured American Independence from Great Britain. Jay served as Secretary of Foreign Affairs under the government of the Articles of Confederation. Jay contributed to the Federalist Papers, supporting the ratification of the United States Constitution, though illness constrained him to writing just five essays. Jay next served as the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; during his tenure the court addressed fundamental questions of constitutional interpretation. Jay later returned to diplomacy and negotiated the controversial “Jay Treaty,” meant to settle lingering issues in U.S.-British relations. The backlash to the treaty, led by those who found it excessively generous to Britain and not generous enough to revolutionary France, helped solidify the first partisan split in United States politics.