In October 1777, American forces won a significant victory at the Battle of Saratoga, capturing British General John Burgoyne’s army. This victory proved to France that the United States could stand up to Britain’s powerful military. For more than a year, France had secretly sent supplies such as gunpowder, muskets, and clothing, but French leaders hesitated to commit openly.
French Foreign Minister Comte de Vergennes had two conditions before agreeing to an official alliance. The Americans had to declare independence and show they could defend themselves. Saratoga met the second condition. In December 1777, news of the win reached Paris, and Vergennes began talks with American commissioners led by Benjamin Franklin.
On February 6, 1778, the United States and France signed both the Treaty of Alliance and the Treaty of Amity and Commerce. France recognized the United States as an independent nation and promised military support, including troops and its powerful navy. The alliance also promised that neither country would make peace with Britain without the other.
Soon after, French officers such as the Marquis de Lafayette and Baron von Steuben worked alongside American forces. French ships challenged Britain in waters around the world, from the Caribbean to India. The war was no longer only in America. It had become a global conflict.
French involvement brought money, weapons, soldiers, and naval strength that the Continental Army could not have obtained on its own. It also encouraged other nations, such as Spain and the Netherlands, to help in the fight against Britain. From this point forward, the United States was no longer battling alone.
The victory at Saratoga convinced a powerful European power to invest fully in the American cause. With the backing of one of the strongest militaries in the world, the Americans had a much greater chance of winning their independence.