Which 1778 treaty formed a defensive alliance between the United States and France?

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

The treaty was signed in Paris on February 6, 1778, by American commissioners Benjamin Franklin, Arthur Lee, and Silas Deane, along with France’s representative Conrad Alexandre Gérard. It followed the American victory at Saratoga, which helped persuade France that the American cause could succeed.

The agreement promised French military support and restricted either side from making a separate peace with Britain. French soldiers, naval forces, supplies, and financial assistance later played a major role in the American victory, including the campaign that ended at Yorktown.

The treaty is often mentioned alongside the Treaty of Amity and Commerce, signed on the same day. They were separate agreements: the commerce treaty established diplomatic and trading relations, while the Treaty of Alliance created the military partnership. The alliance formally ended in 1800.