What 1778 agreement formed a formal military alliance between France and the United States?

The Treaty of Alliance (1778) formed a formal military alliance between France and the United States during the Revolutionary War.

Delegates signed the agreement in Paris on February 6, 1778. Benjamin Franklin, Arthur Lee, and Silas Deane signed for the United States, while Conrad Alexandre Gérard signed for France. The treaty followed the American victory at Saratoga and formalized French support for the American struggle against Great Britain.

The alliance was defensive in structure. It promised cooperation if Britain attacked France because of the relationship and included provisions concerning military operations and peace negotiations. A related Treaty of Amity and Commerce established commercial ties and marked France’s formal recognition of the United States as a sovereign nation.

French assistance proved decisive in several ways. France supplied money, weapons, uniforms, soldiers, and naval forces. French troops and ships participated directly in the Yorktown campaign in 1781, where the allied victory forced the surrender of the British army commanded by Charles Cornwallis. The alliance was later annulled by the United States in 1798 during tensions with revolutionary France.