America 250 Moments
John Jay
6/5/2026 | 1mVideo has Closed Captions
Which Founding Father saved George Washington’s life?
John Jay is the author of five Federalist Papers and was the first U.S. Chief Justice.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
America 250 Moments is a local public television program presented by APT
America 250 Moments
John Jay
6/5/2026 | 1mVideo has Closed Captions
John Jay is the author of five Federalist Papers and was the first U.S. Chief Justice.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship(upbeat country music) (pensive music) [Narrator] Which founding father saved George Washington's life?
John Jay is the author of five Federalist Papers and was the first U.S.
Chief Justice.
According to the CIA, he was also America's first national level counterintelligence chief.
In 1776, he was responsible for flushing out any threats to American independence.
During the Revolutionary War, he led operatives and missions, including stopping a plot to kill George Washington.
This espionage prompted the Americans to strengthen their counterintelligence program.
Later, Jay had a big role in ensuring the executive branch had the power to conduct intelligence activities in secrecy.
Today, his impact lives on through U.S.
intelligence agencies like the CIA and the FBI.
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America 250 Moments is a local public television program presented by APT