the jay treaty was a treaty between the united states and britain in the years following the american revolution. the main american involved in the treaty was john jay, who was also chief justice of the united states. it was passed by the united states congress in 1795. it allowed for increased trade with britain in exchange for the british giving up their forts on the great lakes. the democratic-republican party thought that the jay treaty was good for the british and bad for the americans, which led to them burning effigies of jay.