February 6, 1778

Treaty of Alliance (1778)

France and the United States sign treaties of alliance and commerce

Neither ally could stop fighting Britain without the other's consent — the no-separate-peace promise was written into the text.

6 February 1778: two treaties, four signatories

In Paris on 6 February 1778, the French plenipotentiary Conrad Alexandre Gérard and the American commissioners Benjamin Franklin, Silas Deane and Arthur Lee signed the Treaty of Alliance.

The same four men signed the Treaty of Amity and Commerce, establishing reciprocal commercial relations and recognizing the United States as an independent nation.

An alliance with a trigger

The alliance was expressly defensive and contingent: if war broke out between France and Britain, its purpose was to maintain American sovereignty and independence. Article 12 tied the wartime guarantees to that rupture.

The allies also agreed to make no separate truce or peace with Britain, and not to lay down their arms until American independence had been secured. Ratifications were to be exchanged within six months, or sooner if possible.

Why it happened when it did

The British surrender at Saratoga had convinced Louis XVI and Vergennes that the American rebellion was viable, and rumors of British peace offers pushed France to conclude without waiting for Spain. Spain's opportunity to accede was placed in a separate secret act, with language inserted at Arthur Lee's insistence.

Franklin and Deane notified Congress on 8 February that both treaties had been signed. The signatures did not, by themselves, instantly produce open Anglo-French warfare.

Sources

Researched 23 Aug 2026 7 sources 2 audit passes, 1 issue open

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