Primary sourceDocument6 February 1778

Treaty of Alliance with France

6 February 1778

The 1778 military alliance between France and the United States, negotiated and signed by Franklin in Paris.

Franklin negotiated and signed this treaty, securing French support that was vital to American independence.

Ask Benjamin Franklin about this source View the original

Scan of a handwritten two-column manuscript on aged, browned paper. The left column is in English under the heading 'Treaty of Alliance', and the right column is in French under 'Traité d'alliance eventuelle et défensive'. The text opens by naming the Most Christian King and the United States of North America. — Treaty of Alliance with France, 6 February 1778. National Archives, Washington, DC.

About this source

What it is

This treaty, signed on 6 February 1778, formalized a military alliance between France and the United States during the Revolutionary War. It is written in both English and French and is held by the U.S. National Archives. Benjamin Franklin, along with Silas Deane and Arthur Lee, negotiated it on behalf of the American colonies.

Why it matters

The treaty brought French financial and military support to the American cause and included a promise that neither side would make peace with Britain until American independence was recognized. It marks a turning point in the war and shows Franklin's skill as a diplomat in winning crucial foreign support for the new nation.

Look closer

Why would France agree to help the American colonies against Britain?
What does writing the treaty in two languages tell you about its purpose?
What might each side have hoped to gain from this alliance?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Benjamin Franklin, Friedrich von Steuben and Marquis de Lafayette on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.