France signed the first formal alliance with the United States during the American Revolution.
The Treaty of Alliance was signed in Paris on February 6, 1778, by representatives of France and the United States. It was paired with a Treaty of Amity and Commerce, which established commercial relations and formally recognized the American side as an independent trading partner.
France’s alliance brought crucial military and financial assistance to the American cause. French troops, naval forces, weapons, supplies, and loans supported the Continental forces. French naval intervention was especially important at Yorktown, where the fleet helped prevent British relief or evacuation.
The alliance also reflected France’s strategic desire to weaken Great Britain after losing the Seven Years’ War. Spain later entered the war against Britain but did not sign the same formal alliance with the United States. France’s direct partnership therefore marked a major diplomatic turning point and helped convert the colonial rebellion into an international conflict.