The Treaty of Alliance formalized the military alliance between the United States and France in 1778.
The treaty was signed in Paris on February 6, 1778, immediately after the Treaty of Amity and Commerce. Benjamin Franklin, Silas Deane, and Arthur Lee signed for the United States, while Conrad Alexandre Gérard represented France. The agreement created a defensive military partnership against Britain.
France had already supplied the American cause secretly, but the alliance made its support official. French arms, loans, soldiers, and naval forces became major resources for the Continental war effort. French intervention also forced Britain to divide military attention among North America, the Caribbean, Europe, and India.
The Treaty of Alliance is often confused with the same-day Treaty of Amity and Commerce. The commercial treaty established trade and diplomatic relations and formally recognized the United States; the Treaty of Alliance addressed military cooperation and the conditions of peace. The alliance was later annulled by Congress in 1798.