The John Jay estate in Rye, New York, where Jay was brought up. One of the ‘Founding Fathers’ and a signatory of the Treaty of Paris in 1783, he became the second Governor of New York and America’s first Chief Justice, and was a leading abolitionist.
Introduction
In 1794, America had to choose between France, a new republic like herself, or Britain, whose oppressive rule she had just thrown off. America’s choice was surprising - but wise, as events quickly showed.
IN 1783, the American Revolutionary War came to an end with the Treaty of Paris. Six years later, the French people overthrew their own King, and many in America, especially the Jeffersonians, saw the new republican France as a more natural ally than Britain.
But America’s first Chief Justice, John Jay, refused to court war with Britain either to please the French, or (as the Jeffersonians demanded) to squeeze compensation out of London for plantation owners whose ‘property’ had escaped in the Revolutionary War.
‘Jay’s Treaty’, signed in London in 1794 with George Washington’s support, secured eighteen precious years of peace.
In that time, Britain busied herself abolishing slavery, and growing her trade with India. But Paris had already descended into her bloody ‘Terror’, and ten years later Napoleon Bonaparte, wearing an Emperor’s crown, had reintroduced slavery in French colonies, and plunged all Europe into war.
George Washington’s support was not just decisive. It was prophetic.
Précis
After the Revolutionary War, some American statesmen wanted to ally with republican France rather than Britain. George Washington, however, supported Chief Justice John Jay in brokering a trade deal with London, a decision which looked prophetic after the French republic fell to massacring its own people, and then became Napoleon’s empire. (51 / 60 words)
After the Revolutionary War, some American statesmen wanted to ally with republican France rather than Britain. George Washington, however, supported Chief Justice John Jay in brokering a trade deal with London, a decision which looked prophetic after the French republic fell to massacring its own people, and then became Napoleon’s empire.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 45 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: besides, if, may, must, or, until, whereas, who.
Archive
Word Games
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Come. Person. Their.
2 Crown. End. Plantation.
3 Jay. Precious. See.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Subject and Object Find in Think and Speak
Use each word below in two sentences, first as the subject of a verb, and then as the object of a verb. It doesn’t have to be the same verb: some verbs can’t be paired with an object (e.g. arrive, happen), so watch out for these.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. Demand. 2. Escape. 3. War. 4. Natural. 5. Wear. 6. King. 7. Owner. 8. End. 9. Property.
Variations: 1.use your noun in the plural (e.g. cat → cats), if possible. 2.give one of your sentences a future aspect (e.g. will, going to). 3.write sentences using negatives such as not, neither, nobody and never.
Homophones Find in Think and Speak
In each group below, you will find words that sound the same, but differ in spelling and also in meaning. Compose your own sentences to bring out the differences between them.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1.
Scene.
Seen.
2.
But.
Butt.
3.
Pleas.
Please.
4.
Piece.
Peace.
5.
Wear.
Where.
6.
Sees.
Seas.
Seize.
7.
War.
Wore.
8.
Warn.
Worn.
9.
Groan.
Grown.
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
bst (7+2)
baste. beast. beset. best. boast. boost. bust.
bast. oboist.
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