What alliance did the United States sign with France in 1778 during the Revolutionary War?

The United States signed the Treaty of Alliance with France in 1778 during the Revolutionary War.

The treaty followed the American victory at Saratoga, which convinced France that the rebellion could succeed. Signed in Paris on February 6, 1778, it created a defensive alliance between the United States and France and committed each side to continue fighting Britain until American independence was secured.

The agreement worked alongside the Treaty of Amity and Commerce, signed on the same day. France supplied arms, loans, soldiers, and naval forces. French assistance became decisive in the later stages of the war, especially when French ships helped prevent British relief of General Cornwallis at Yorktown.

The alliance also internationalized the conflict. Britain fought France, Spain, and the Dutch Republic in connected theaters, stretching British resources far beyond the American mainland. The Treaty of Alliance was formally superseded by the 1783 Treaty of Paris, which ended the war with Britain.