Sarah Livingston Jay, 1756--1802: Dynamics of power, privilege and prestige in the Revolutionary era

Sarah Livingston Jay was a politically astute woman whose contributions to the success of the American Revolution and reconstruction of post-war society have long been underestimated. She understood the complex political and financial dynamics beneath the decision to declare independence from Great Britain and the international alliances necessary for success. Intelligent, educated and socially skilled, she used her personal gifts, position, and familial connections to exert a strong influence on the course of events that would benefit her fledgling country. She used her social graces to take part in the male-dominated political world, while working within the domestic realm. She was not the only female patriot to make a significant contribution to the patriot cause. She was a prominent representative figure of a larger group of women whose roles in the revolution and the formation of the United States of America have been ignored, understated or viewed as inconsequential