John Jay (December 12, 1745-May 17, 1829) was an American statesman, a Founding Father, the President of the Second Continental Congress, and the first Chief Justice of the United States. He also served as Secretary of Foreign Affairs and as Ambassador to Spain and France. Working with Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, he contributed to The Federalist papers, which supported and promoted the ratification of the newly proposed U.S. Constitution. As Governor of the state of New York, Jay fought against slavery and signed an emancipation act in 1799 that would eventually end slavery in the state in the 1820s.