Who negotiated the Treaty of Paris and later became the first Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court?

• A. Gouverneur Morris
• B. John Jay
• C. George Washington
• D. Alexander Hamilton

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is recognizing the person who twice shaped U.S. history by first securing peace with Britain and then shaping the judiciary. John Jay was part of the American delegation that negotiated the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Revolutionary War and laid out the terms of peace in 1783. Later, he became the first Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, appointed by George Washington and serving from 1789 onward. This combination of decisive diplomatic achievement and trailblazing judicial leadership is unique to him, making him the correct choice. The others played major roles in early America but did not occupy both of these pivotal positions.