What alliance did the United States and France formally establish in 1778 during the Revolutionary War?

The United States and France formally established the Franco-American Alliance in 1778 during the Revolutionary War. The alliance was created by the Treaty of Alliance, signed in Paris on February 6, 1778.

France had already been secretly supplying the American revolutionaries with arms, ammunition, and other assistance. The American victory at Saratoga in 1777 helped convince the French government that the United States could resist Britain successfully. Formal recognition and military cooperation followed.

The treaty promised French support if Britain attacked the United States and committed both parties to continue the war until American independence was secured. France also agreed not to make a separate peace with Britain. The agreement was accompanied by the Treaty of Amity and Commerce, which regulated trade and diplomatic relations.

French aid became crucial in the later stages of the war. French troops and naval forces supported American operations, including the campaign that trapped the British army at Yorktown in 1781. The alliance also expanded the conflict into a wider international war.